Crime of Shadows
by Zivon96
Summary: Takes place in the same universe as ToaofIce's 'The Champion of Ice.' A Prisoner of the Great Beings has escaped into the world of Avatar. Who can stop him? Takes place two years after 'The Champion of Ice.' Sequel called "Shadow of Madness" has been posted in the Bionicle/Soul Eater section.
1. Chapter 1

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I own neither Bionicle nor Avatar the last Airbender**

oxoxoxo

I dashed through the halls of the place that had once been my prison. From what I understood, if I hadn't escaped when I did then I would have been likely killed or experimented on. Naturally I didn't like that, so I decided I needed to escape this place.

Easier said than done, for those who have never escaped a prison of the Great Beings.

Unfortunately for the Great beings though, I was no normal prisoner.

My ingenious plan was a complete success. After pretending to be groaning in pain for almost an hour, my guard in this nearly empty place came to tell me to pipe down because I was making his head hurt.

This is when my ingenious plan began. I told him "That's how it started for me too."

When he came closer to examine me further, I grabbed his head and slammed it against the bars of my cell.

With him down, I stole the keys, unlocked my cell and bolted.

That's how I got to where I am now. Running down the halls in search of any possible route of escape from this awful place. There were guards all over the place, so whatever I was going to do, I had to do it before they discovered I wasn't in my cell.

I was about to run around a corner and try to find a way out, when a patrol of guards passed right by where I was going to run. In the hopes that I would avoid them, I ducked into a room on the other side of the halls.

It was in this room that I saw it.

My ticket to possible freedom.

It was what appeared to be an archway in the centre of the room. The letters on the top indicated that this was a dimensional gateway. If this worked, I would not only be out of the Great Beings fortress but possibly out of their galaxy.

I turned on the machine, but before I was finished choosing a location, there was a banging on the door. "Who's in there?" a voice demanded as whoever it was began to bang on the door. "Open up this door!"

I had no time to choose. I set the destination to what was selected right now, and activated the gateway. I was about to step inside, when I fired a bolt of shadow out of my hand and into the console that ran this machine. Right before it hit the machine, I jumped into the gateway.

oxoxoxo

When I came out of the portal, I was in a forest, just before dusk. There were trees everywhere, and I recognized none of the plants or animals that scurried about.

I ran a hand through my hair and – wait, I have hair?

I ran through the forest until I found what I was looking for: a pond. When I looked into it to see my reflection, I saw that I had black shoulder length hair, and red eyes. I looked down to see what I was wearing. I had on a suit of metal studded red leather armor. In short, I was even better looking than I was before.

I was about to leave and try to find civilization when I heard a voice from behind me. "Isn't it a little late to be running around in the woods alone?"

I turned around; ready to kill when I saw who it was that had spoken. It was an old woman. How old, I couldn't tell but she was old.

"Shouldn't you be at home?" she asked me.

I answered the only way I knew how to. "I don't have a home."

She looked at me sadly and said "You lost it in the war two years ago didn't you?"

I had no Idea what she was talking about but I played along. "Yeah, that's it."

"You poor thing." She said sadly. "I'll tell you what, you can come and stay with me. I own a lovely in just outside of town."

I looked at her in shock and confusion. This old woman would let a stranger she just met, who was armored, into her in for free? She was crazy. I however, was not one to turn away free lodging. "Thank you."

"Follow me then." She said as I did just that. She then said "My name is Hama, what is yours?"

"I am sorry Miss Hama, where are my manners? My name is Vultraz."

oxoxoxo

**Vultraz has escaped his captivity into the world of Avatar.**

**I think most of you can see where this will lead.**

**For those of you who don't, it will be in the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter two**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Bionicle or Avatar**

oxoxoxo

Mazeka sat in his seat in the Order of Mata Nui's new base on Spherus Magna. After what he had done in the battle against the brotherhood of Makuta, the order had raised him from a spy to a fully fledged member. He was honored to take his new position, and took to it with something akin to glee, which was something he rarely felt.

However, at the moment, he was bored. The war was over, and the only things he ever got to do now were hunt down bands of Skrall and Bone Hunters. He should have been glad about this, but after years of nothing but exciting missions, being sent on a simple assignment every once in a while had gotten boring and monotonous.

Luckily for him, this was all about to change.

For it was that just as the meeting was about to end and Helryx was about to tell them what assignments they would be given that day, a bright light suddenly filled the centre of the room.

Mazeka wasn't sure whether he should have been surprised, excited or horrified when he saw the Great Beings he had met during his trip to an alternate universe step out of the light and into the meeting hall.

One of them looked at him and said in a voice that sounded like it was made of many others as well as his own, "You are needed."

Helryx looked at this being that had just entered her base. She knew who he was from the report given to her by Mazeka but she needed to know why he needed her operative. "What exactly do you need him for?" She asked.

"Young one," The Great Being said to Mazeka, "Your adversary has escaped both his captivity and our universe entirely." The great being continued by saying "This situation has been made even graver by the fact that in this new world, his powers have been fully realized, he is a true toa of shadows."

Helryx stood up and said "But if that's the case, then Mazeka can't fight him alone." Mazeka was about to retort when she continued, "He will need someone who has power over light."

Mazeka had heard enough. He had just learned that his most hated enemy had escaped his captivity, and to another world no less, and his leader wasn't letting him go after him. "Then get me someone who has power over light." He said standing up. "Get me Takanuva, or an Av – Matoran, or a Midak Skyblaster or something, I don't care what. I am going after him no matter what you all say." This was not a question. Mazeka rarely made any demands to anyone especially his leader and superiors. But when it came to Vultraz, he was ready to do anything.

Helryx looked at him sharply. Mazeka didn't back down. Finally she said "Alright you can go."

"Thank you young one." Said the Great Being "We would do this ourselves but we are forbidden to interfere with the affairs of other universes."

With that statement, the Great Being vanished, leaving many stunned Order members.

Mazeka finally spoke up. "Well now we just need someone with power over light." He looked around the room before asking "Anyone have any ideas?"

oxoxoxo

Tanma walked home to his hut in what was now known as 'Av- Koro.' The matoran of this unverse had taken to using the 'Koro' names, that had been used on the island of Mata Nui for their village names now.

Today had just been another day of his current job of village patrol. When the matoran had come to Spherus Magna, there had been some discussion about making him the leader of their new village. However he declined, and gave leadership of the village to the former leader, his good friend Kirop.

Now he was back to what had been his old job in Karda Nui. Making sure the scarerahi were in place. He didn't see why he was needed for this job. There were many other matoran who did the same thing. But he did his job when he was asked to. It was a living.

Today however, would be different.

When he walked into his hut, Tanma noticed that there was another matoran in the room with him. He looked like a Ko Matoran, but as Tanma knew he could just be changing his colour to that of a Ko matoran.

Now however, was not the time for discussing this. "Who are you, and why are you in my house?" asked Tanma, one hand going for one of his swords.

The strange Ko matoran answered "My name is Mazeka, and I am here to ask for your help."

Tanma didn't take his eyes off Mazeka as he spoke. He knew from past experience not to simply attack, but he also knew that there was something up about this strange matoran. "Alright," he said "What do you need me for?"

"I heard you were the leader of the matoran resistance against the Makuta in Karda Nui, and I think you can help me with a little problem I have."

"Alright, what's the problem?" Tanma asked, warily.

Mazeka explained everything about his pursuit of Vultraz, up until Vultraz's escape into this new world, and what he needed him to do.

Tanma looked at Mazeka as if he had just said that he wanted him to go manas riding with him. "So you need me to go with you to another universe, which we know nothing about other than the fact that we get more power, and track down an extremely dangerous criminal or he will destroy and or take over the world."

Mazeka nodded. "I need you because I need someone who has the power of light on my side to fight against his power of shadow." He held out his hand. "Are you with me?"

Tanma considered this for a few seconds. On one hand he had a job here. On the other, not only did he not really have anything else here, but this seemed like the right thing to do. "Alright," he said shaking Mazeka's hand "I'm in."

oxoxoxo

The dimensional portal opened up in an island in the Fire Nation at around noon. Two figures stepped out. Both were about the same height, but that was where the similarities ceased. The first one was dressed in chainmail armor with rectangular plates. He had grey hair that looked silver in the light, and his eyes were a cold blue colour. At his belt was a mini Midak Skyblaster.

The second one was dirty blond with glowing bright green eyes. He had on lightweight grey leather armor, with a green scarf around his neck. On his back was a katana blade made from protosteel.

Mazeka looked at his new form and then at Tanma's. "We should head into town and see if anyone has seen Vultraz anywhere."

"Good plan." said Tanma. "One question though: where's town?"

Mazeka was about to answer when he realized something. He didn't know.

"You've got no idea, do you?" asked Tanma. Mazeka shook his head. "Well than we'll just have to start looking."

And so the two warriors set off to find civilization.

oxoxoxo

It was dusk before they found civilization.

Once they got into town they realized another small problem: they had no money.

No money also meant no food and no place to stay.

So they made the best with what they could do. Mazeka asked around to see if anyone had seen a being of Vultraz's description, while Tanma performed stunts with his katana for money.

By the end of the day, they had enough money for food and lodging for the night. They checked into an inexpensive hotel on one end of town and bought themselves a meal.

"Mazeka also explained to Tanma how he planned to get information both about the city and where Vultraz could be, and about this world itself.

"You want me to do WHAT?" Tanma demanded upon hearing Mazeka's plan.

"You heard me. I want you to go to one of the schools here and pose as a student." Mazeka explained.

"And why don't you do it?"

"Because you are better at being social than I am."

"And how do you propose we get me into this school?" Tanma pointed to what he had picked up at the marketplace "This is the only night we have in a building, after this we have to sleep in the woods in these tents. This means we can't buy me in, so what do we do?"

Mazeka grinned. "Don't worry," he said "I have a plan."

oxoxoxo

On the same island that Vultraz had appeared on, a dark cloud descended from the sky. If one looked closely enough at this cloud, they would notice that it appeared to be made of insects. The cloud came closer and closer to the ground, and when it got to the ground it began to condense into a shape.

Some would have called this event beautiful.

Until what happened next.

A man stepped out of the cloud. He was tall with black hair, glowing red eyes and sharp teeth. He was dressed in a dull green trench coat, and leather boots.

Zaktan looked around, stunned to be alive still. He was sure he had been killed by Makuta Teridax years ago, but it seemed that he had been banished to this world instead. He smiled at this. it was another chance to wreak havoc in people's lives, to steal and to live on land again.

He felt a weight in the pocket of his coat. He put his hand in and pulled out a zamor sphere launcher, loaded with a sickly green orb.

Zaktan smiled again. He would need to find some allies of course that would make it easier for him to survive if he had someone to throw in front of his enemies.

oxoxoxo

**This is chapter 2**

**What is Mazeka's plan? Will Tanma survive Fire Nation school? What horrors will Zaktan unleash upon the unsuspecting Fire Nation?**

**Find out in the next chapter**

**Until then please rate and review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bionicle or Avatar the Last Airbender**

**oxoxoxo**

Mazeka and Tanma walked out of the house they had just been in. The family had been out for dinner, so they had gone in and 'borrowed' a school uniform for Tanma.

Not that this family would either mind or notice, however. Their entire wardrobe seemed to be made of the things.

Mazeka's plan was simple. Tanma would be disguised as a new student and go to this school.

From what he had heard, no one would even question why he was there, who he was, or even when he had gotten there. Apparently some "Fire Lord Zuko" had brought exchange students to the Fire Nation from the "Earthy Kingdom" or something. Mazeka didn't know who he was but if he ever met him he would have to thank him for making his life easier.

That night however, they also ran out of money. So the two of them resorted to a plan they had hatched the night before. They got out the tents they had bought in town and camped out in a clearing in the forest.

This clearing had all they could have asked for. There was a river nearby that they could use to drink or to clean, fruit trees nearby that they could use for a source of food, and there had been a few rocks around that Mazeka had used to make a fire pit.

That was then and this was a day later. Mazeka waited for Tanma to return from the school. While he was gone, Mazeka had also gone into town to find maps of this place. The island they were on had a name and so did all the surrounding ones. And if he got any information about Vultraz's location or any reports of mayhem or destruction on any of these islands, he wanted to know which one.

He had also tried to find any information on mayhem or destruction that he could while he was in town. This however, was unsuccessful. The only information he got was on some disappearances on one of the islands. He knew this couldn't be Vultraz, however. This just wasn't his style.

If a village was set ablaze however…

oxoxoxo

Tanma was glad this day was over.

He honestly couldn't take much more of some of these people. Some of them were good people; like that kid Shoji that had shown him around earlier, but some of them were just spoiled noble's children that had sneered at him for being 'non native.'

Some of them however, were better and some were worse. One that he had met who he thought was a really good person was this girl. Her name was On Ji. She had been the first one to introduce herself to him, and was genuinely kind about it.

Unfortunately, this had also led him to meet her, what was it now… Boyfriend! That was it. Anyway, he was large, loud, and obnoxious. He had said that if he came anywhere near 'his On Ji' again he would beat him so bad he'd 'make Zuko look unscarred' whatever that meant.

Unbeknownst to him, On Ji had followed him. This was for a few reasons. One she was pretty sure 'Tanma' was not a very common name in any of the four nations, even in the recently rediscovered Air Nomads.

Two, was it just her or did his presence in general just seem strange. Being one of the few firebenders in her class she could sense heat, and this boy gave off not as much as a firebender but still some. And that heat he gave off just seemed... odd.

Either way, she was determined to find out more about him. So she followed him from afar after he left the school.

oxoxoxo

Once Tanma got back to the camp, he noticed a note from Mazeka saying he had gone out hunting. Tanma, making the best of this, changed out of his school uniform and back into his armor. He wasn't sure why he preferred wearing that to wearing regular clothes, maybe it was because it reminded him of what he was in his world. Either way it just seemed more normal.

He them got out his katana and walked into the forest to train. He executed slashes and blocking techniques with the blade, and was about to try to channel a blast of light through the blade when he felt the telltale signs of being watched. He spun around and hurled a bolt of light at where he thought his observer was hiding, in a tree.

The branch they were on was severed and fell, taking his observer with it.

Tanma was on it in seconds with his blade pointed at it. "Who are you and why were you watching me?"

He was shocked when On JI stepped out of the branches and leaves. "I didn't mean to startle you," She said, frightened "I was just curious. I promise I won't reveal any of what happened here. I swear."

Tanma lowered his blade, but didn't sheath it. "How much of that did you see?" he asked.

On JI stood up and said "I saw enough. What was that bending you just did? It really didn't look like anything I have ever heard of. It was like the light itself came to life and severed the branch."

Tanma looked at her. He could tell she was sincere about not telling anyone about him. "If you swear not to tell anyone about this I will tell you all about it."

On Ji nodded and Tanma told her the story of how he was from a different world, and was here to track down a dangerous criminal. When he was finished, On Ji was surprised to say the least.

"If what you just said is true, then you will need some help." She put a hand to her chest and said "I know a lot about these islands, and I can get you transport to the other ones."

Tanma considered this. On one hand he had just met her today and this was not really his mission. On the other hand they really did need help now. After a few moments of pondering he spoke again. "I suppose you'll have to ask my partner when he gets back from hunting. Until then you can stay here if you like." He had no clue why he was offering this to a girl he had just met.

On Ji agreed, and sat down on the grass. Tanma put his sword away and did the same.

She turned to him and said "You told me something about your life and now it's only fair that I tell you something about mine." And thus she began her tale.

oxoxoxo

On a completely different island in the Fire Nation, Zaktan walked into an old building. It was nice here and there didn't seem to be anyone home. He walked into the centre of the room, sat down in a chair and relaxed.

"And you are who now?"

Zaktan looked to see the source of the noise was a boy with black hair and red leather armor.

"I live here." He countered "What are you doing in my house?"

"You don't live here." The boy replied "This is Hama's inn. I know you don't you live here, I don't think you live in this town, in fact I don't even think you're from this world."

Zaktan got to his feet. "Why do you think that now?"

"Oh please, I'm not blind or stupid." The boy said, rolling his eyes. "I've seen a few people and none of them have as sharp claws as you, or as large teeth as you, or glowing red eyes." The boy took an even closer look at him "I also don't think that their bodies are made up of a mass of moving… whatever it is yours is made of."

Zaktan gave him an ugly sneer "You say 'I've seen a few' as if you're not from here either. What are you boy?"

The boy sneered back "Name's Vultraz." He said "Former servant of an organization called the Brotherhood of Makuta, now my own man." Vultraz looked at him again "And judging by the appearance, you're a Skakdi."

Zaktan looked at this boy; Vltraz seemed like the kind of person he could use on his side. Someone powerful, he hoped, and observant.

"I Think I may have use for you boy…" Zaktan mused "Let's talk business…"

oxoxoxo

Tanma and On Ji had waited for quite a while for Mazeka to return, during which time she had told him about how she had met her boyfriend Hahn. Apparently her parents had agreed to marry her to Hahn because his family had _paid_ for her like she was some sort of item to be bought at the market.

Tanma had just voiced this opinion, when Mazeka walked in and said "I couldn't find any food when hunting so I was going to go fish…ing. Who is this?"

Tanma got up, gestured to On Ji and said "Mazeka, meet our guide to the Fire Nation, On Ji."

On Ji waved at this Mazeka person. He was a lot different from what she had seen in Tanma. For one he looked completely different, with snow white hair and piercing blue eyes. And there was the fact that he was dressed in plated chainmail armor instead of the studded leather that Tanma wore. Finally there was the fact that he generated a strange chill instead of heat.

Mazeka beckoned for Tanma to follow him. On Ji waited at her seat while they talked. They were likely discussing her fate so she was nervous about this, and understandably so. For all she knew, this Mazeka could simply have her killed.

When Tanma walked over to her and said "He has agreed to let you help us." She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, ran up, and embraced him.

This took Tanma by surprise. No one in his world had ever done this to him before. Strangely though, he found himself enjoying it more than he thought he would.

On Ji however, soon realized what she was doing and let him go. "Sorry about that." She mumbled sheepishly.

Tanma looked at her and said "I didn't mind one bit. Anyway, it's getting late and we should probably get you home to your family.

And so the two of them walked toward the edge of the forest together.

oxoxoxo

The cloaked figure slowly made her way through the forest on another island. The only light in her path was the light of the full moon.

Tonight was another success, in a year full of them. Tonight she had gotten four, the same way she always did.

Now it was back to home to see if her guest was still there.

oxoxoxo

Tanma walked back toward the camp after dropping On Ji off in the city. She had said that she could make it home from there.

He really didn't know what to think of the girl. She was nice, sure but that was it.

Tomorrow was something she had called a "weekend" so there was no school. Instead, they would look at a map and she would show him which islands were which, and Mazeka would go into town to try and find out more information about where Vultraz might be.

So caught up in his thoughts was he, that he didn't notice the large metal mass, heading straight for him until it almost hit him.

"HOLY MATA NUI!" he yelled jumping out of the way to the side of the path.

When he saw it from the back it looked like a Kikanalo. Whatever it was, he saw someone on its back, or rather two someones.

Well whoever it was, they were going to get it. Tanma got up, dusted himself off and started after the Kikanalo, keeping himself hidden from view the whole time.

oxoxoxo

**Now correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think there are that many Kikanalo in this world…**

**And Vultraz seems to have made himself an ally…**

**What will happen between On Ji and our heroes?**

**Find out in the next chapter.**

**And in case you haven't guessed, most of the Avatar characters in this story will be from book 3 'Fire' because let's face it, they really didn't get any spotlight in the series at all.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 4**

oxoxoxo

Tanma

I looked into the camp where the riders of the Kikanalo were unloading their belongings. Well, one was. He was a boy around my age with blond hair dressed in beige clothing. He had one of his arms covered with a cloth and when he turned around I saw something in his face that did not look natural. His eye was made of metal. It looked just like someone's eye from…

My world…

I was about to ask him about this (as well as something along the lines of "Why in the name of Mata Nui can't you watch where you are going?") when the girl next to him wearing green and beige robes (who was looking away from me) called out "There's someone here!" and suddenly the earth beneath my feet launched me into the air.

I was about to activate my jet pack when I realized I had left that on Spherus Magna. I had no choice but to try something that I had thought of in Karda Nui. I tried to use a blast of light to slow my fall.

When the boy saw this though, there was a look of confusion on his face. He stepped in front of the girl and spoke to me. "Who are you? And how did you do that?" He demanded.

I looked him in the eye. "Who I am is my business." I didn't say my name to him because I didn't even know this guy and trusted him even less. Also, according to On Ji, my name is completely unheard of in this world. "Also, why can't you watch where your Kikanalo is going?" I demanded.

The boy looked at me in surprise. "You have power over light, and you know what a Kikanalo is." He stated. "How? No one in this world has power over light, and almost no one here knows what a Kikanalo is."

I listened to all of this and realized two things. One was that I had been careless after what I had learned in school about the FOUR elements, none of which were light. And another was that "I know that voice…" I said.

A look of recognition came to the boy's eyes. "So do I…" he said.

We walked toward each other until we stood only a few feet apart.

"Karda Nui" I said.

"Core of the universe." He replied.

"We lived there for centuries."

"Then the Makuta attacked."

"The Shadow Leeches and the blinding light."

"The Toa Nuva." He said very respectfully.

Suddenly I knew who I was talking to. Only one person I ever knew would talk about the Toa Nuva with _that_ much respect. "…Solek?"

He looked at me. The girl next to him looked shocked that I knew him.

"Tanma?" he asked.

I nodded. "So this is where you disappeared to." I said. "What kinds of annoyance and mayhem have you inflicted on this place?"

"I'll tell you only if you tell me why you're here" he replied "And don't tell me you just came here to see me."

We both sat at what was to become his camp and told our tales.

oxoxoxo

"You've been gone for a while."

Tanma looked at Mazeka, or rather at the two crates he was sitting on. "I took On Ji home, but on the way back I met someone I used to know in our world. We're not the first ones from Bionicle to come here." He said. "Also, where did those crates come from? They weren't here when I left."

Mazeka got off the crates. "These are from the order of Mata Nui. They arrived just after you left with a note from Brutaka. And what you just told me about there being other Bionicle in this world explains something in the note." He said giving Tanma said note.

_Mazeka and other matoran_

_These are all the supplies we can give you for your mission._

_Included in there as well is a way for you to get home because I am not reliving the events of two years ago by coming back to get you._

_Good luck_

_Brutaka_

"Good to see he remembers my name." Tanma muttered sarcastically. "So why haven't you opened them yet?"

"I was waiting for my partner to get back. I thought he would only be gone for a little while but he stopped to catch up with an old friend on the way back. I wonder if he knows it's rude to make people wait." Mazeka said, glaring at said colleague.

After Tanma apologized _again_ they opened the crates. Inside the first crate, they found was a cache of their world's weapons and equipment. A curved protosteel sword (which Mazeka took), a pair of daggers (Tanma set those aside), a double barreled Midak Skyblaster scattergun and a second mini Skyblaster (Mazeka placed these in his pack), and a jet pack (Which Tanma, of course, jumped on). And a smaller crate that they decided to open later.

The second crate contained supplies enough to build a cart and much to the surprise of the two warriors, an Ussal crab. Thanks to the simplicity of the cart, it took only a half hour to build. And since it was, like all the supplies but the crates themselves, made of protosteel.

Once this task was completed the two matoran set to opening the crate that had been found in the first one. Inside it was half a dozen strange cubes. They appeared to be made of crystalline protodermis with a small amount of a dark purple substance in it.

There was a note included with it. It was from Helryx.

_Mazeka_

_These cubes are the order's latest technology. We used a minute amount of the Kanohi Olmak's power, combined with the crafting genious of Artakha and made these._

_They are only prototypes however and can only be used once and for only one person so use them wisely._

_Simply open it and say your destination and a gateway will open to it._

_Best of luck_

_Helryx_

"At least Brutaka remembered I was there…" Muttered Tanma.

oxoxoxo

On another island, Lee and his older brother Ming had been given permission to explore a cavern that had opened during the war. Fire Lord Zuko had finally given them permission to explore it.

They had been traveling underground for a week before they were able to reach this depth, and it looked like they had finally found something of interest.

Lee looked at the large door that had now blocked their way. "There must be some way to open it." He said to his brother.

Ming looked at it and said "Let me see if I can open it." Ming was a rather large fellow who had done a lot of manual labour in their village. He walked up to the door and began to push on it. The door didn't budge.

Lee dropped his pack and went over to the door to help his older brother. With the two of the working together they were able to get the door open.

What greeted them in the next room however made them question if opening the door was a good idea.

Standing on a pedestal at the front of the room was an idol. It appeared to be a statue of a face and head, and it was clearly ancient. The black metal that made up the statue was rusted and pitted in several places and it was a design that not even the greatest Fire Nation historians had seen. It looked evil.

But that was not what deterred them. No, what deterred them was the fact that the thing seemed to be glaring at them as they looked at it. It was a glare that promised a slow painful death to any that touched it wrong.

Lee and Ming however, were desperate. Their parents had died and they had no more money to support themselves with.

Lee looked at his brother and said "I'll grab it, you hold the door open in case there is a trap."

Ming nodded and moved toward the door. Lee moved closer to the artifact. He was within a few inches of it and it didn't look any nicer up close. In fact, now that he was this close, it seemed to be whispering into his mind. What it said though, he couldn't hear nor did he care. This thing would make him a profit and that was all that mattered.

He reached toward it. The whispering only got more incessant the closer he got. Then he touched it and it stopped. Lee hesitated for a moment to wonder if it had just been his imagination or the fact that he had been underground for a week with no fresh air.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Ming called to him "Are you going to take it or just stand there like an idiot?"

Lee didn't reply. He simply grabbed the idol and took it off of its stand. He ran for the door, but his running was in vain as there were no traps in this room.

Once the two brothers were outside the room, Lee Raised the idol in victory only for a metal mass about half the size of the idol fell out the bottom. It was also a head but it seemed a lot more angry than evil.

Ming looked happy at this. Twice the statues meant twice the profit. Lee however was expressionless.

Ming turned to his brother. "I'll go see if there is anything left in the room, you start setting up camp."

Ming walked into the chamber. Lee got up, but he didn't move toward the supplies. Instead he quietly walked behind his brother to the door of the chamber, that same blank expression on his face.

Ming was already in the back of the room by the time he noticed his brother at the door to the room.

And by then it was too late. Ming only had time to shout "Wait! Lee!" before the door slammed shut.

This left Ming to wonder two things. Why would Lee do this to him? And how did he move that door without help?

oxoxoxo

Lee was back on the surface. He didn't know how he was there, but one moment he was a week below the surface and the next he was at the mouth of the cave, like he had teleported there.

He had been walking toward town ever since. The idol was in a bag over his shoulder. He had left the one that had fallen out of it behind in the cave.

It was getting dark and he needed a place a place to stay. It was just then that he spotted an inn in the forest. Weariness took over and he made his way toward the inn.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

Today was a good day. As soon as Hama got home last night Zaktan had used one of his Zamor Spheres to place her under his control. Through her we had learned everything we needed to know about this world, plus a little something extra about the people she had kidnapped and placed under one of the mountains nearby. That would be useful later.

In exchange for this information and letting us stay under her roof, we did what any good people would do. We kept her alive and under Zaktan's control.

I was just thinking about my good fortune in the lobby while Zaktan was upstairs examining a map and making plans of conquest when a man walked in the door. He was covered in dirt and looked like he hadn't rested in a long time. He was dressed in grey, dirty clothing and had a sac over his shoulder.

Hama was currently cleaning upstairs, so I went to talk to him. After all, it never hurt to make a bit more money.

I walked up to him and asked him if he wanted a room. He looked at me for a few seconds before replying. "Yes please." He said his tone as blank as his face. I went behind the counter, and started looking for a key to give him.

"What is it you have in that sac?" I asked, with honest interest for once.

He looked at me and smiled. "I was exploring a nearby cave looking for any valuables I could find and would you believe that this was the only thing worth finding in that whole cave?"

Now he had my interest. He was talking about valuables. "Could you show me?" I asked.

His grin got even wider. "Sure." He said picking up the sac.

He opened the sac and pulled out its contents. I looked at it in awe. I needed it. Now. "How much do you want for it?" I demanded.

"More than you can afford." He stated.

I grinned at him. I really doubted that. I had been robbing Hama's guests blind in the middle of the night in such a way that they didn't even notice after they left. I had a small fortune.

And if hat didn't work, I could always either kill or enslave him with a Zamor Sphere. Sure it would arouse a bit of suspicion when this poor fellow didn't return home, but hey, by the look of him, he wouldn't be missed.

"I'll give you one hundred gold pieces." I offered.

"No deal." He replied shaking his head.

"Two hundred."

"Make it three"

I suddenly had an idea. "I'll give you two hundred and fifty plus a free stay for tonight."

He looked at me, then back to his prize, then back at me. "Fine" he said "You have a deal."

I gave him the gold and his key, and he gave me the sac with the treasure still in it. We shook on the deal and he went up to his room.

Once he was gone I had a look at what was now my prize.

I had no idea how it got here or what I was going to do with it just yet. But I did know one thing.

I had just bought the Mask of Shadows. The Kanohi Kraahkkan was mine.

oxoxoxo

**That can't be good.**

**Sorry it took so long to update. I wanted to do it sooner but… Well let's just say it's a long story involving writer's block, my computer dying and needing to be replaced, and schoolwork.**

**Either way, this chapter is done so please review. Up until now only one person has reviewed and I'm sure that one reviewer could use some company.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 5**

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

Thanks to Zaktan's searching his maps, and Hama's information we had found out there was only one real character of interest on this island (well, aside from Hama. I mean kidnapping people and stashing them underneath a mountain? That was pretty good). This man was a swordmaster, and he lived in a mansion on the edge of one of the towns here. It had taken me two days to walk here, but it was worth it. I could get a weapon or maybe even instructions on how to use it out of this guy.

Anyway, that's enough of that. I went up to the door to his fancy estate and slammed the knocker against the door. There was no response. I tried again. Nothing.

I was about to knock the door in with a shadow blast, when it was (finally I might add) opened by a grey haired guy who looked like a servant of some kind.

I put on my best 'humble face' and sad "I am honored to be here. Is the master home?"

The servant looked at me and said "I am sorry young man but the master is currently in the earth kingdom and will not be back for a few more weeks."

I swore in my mind. The master was out, so that got rid of any chance of him teaching me his 'great technique' of the sword. Oh well. Plan B it is then.

I looked around to see if anyone was within sight or earshot. The servant looked at me, but before he could utter a sound, I drew my zamor sphere launcher and shot him with the green sphere I had loaded into it. He didn't have time to say anything before it hit him.

I looked at him and said "I would like to go in if you don't mind."

He said nothing, simply opening the door and gesturing for me to go inside.

"Oh and my friends would like to join me if you don't mind." I whistled and about six large metal creatures emerged from the surrounding area. I was very surprised when rahkshi started appearing at my (well, Hama's) door. I almost expected them to attack, but instead they bowed to me. I assumed it was because I had the Mask of Shadows. They probably thought that because I was its bearer and I had shadow powers that I was a makuta. Either way, I had taken the mask with me to make sure the rahkshi reained loyal to me and brought these rahkshi as my personal guard. The rest I left at the inn with Zaktan in charge.

The best part was that about five more appeared every day.

But enough about that. We went inside the house and locked the door behind us. I immediately demanded to know where the swords were kept.

The servant led us to a large room in the back of the house. When we got there I had to resist the urge to shout in joy. All the walls of the room were lined with weapons, and not just swords.

I looked at one wall and saw that it was exclusively swords, and each one had a label under it.

I was going to enjoy testing these out.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

We were getting nowhere.

We had been here for almost a week and had found nothing out about where Vultraz might be.

I was about to head back to camp, tell Tanma to pack up the cart with our gear and leave to try to find a ship off this Island to search another when I heard two men talking about murder.

"What's going on?" I asked. They looked at me with scared expressions.

"You haven't heard? Some guy bought a house in the forest earlier this week. It was a big house but too far away from the city to really have any interaction with the town." At this point he looked really nervous, but nothing he said was nerve wracking at all. "Anyway," he continued "When people went to make a delivery to the house, mind you I'm not sure what it was, they never came back. The city guard was sent in to investigate but the guards they sent haven't been seen since either. A lot of people think he might have murdered them."

I couldn't respond to this. This could be it. This could be Vultraz.

I broke into a run for the camp. "Thanks!" I called over my shoulder.

Tanma was going to need to hear this.

oxoxoxo

Tanma and On ji were at camp. On ji had finished teaching Tanma about the island and the surrounding ones, and Tanma had thought to repay her for it.

Tanma had thought of repaying her by teaching her some combat techniques from Karda Nui. Obviously they would be a little different because Karda Nui was home to the Av matoran who had power over light, while she was a fire bender. But he could still teach her his people's dual blade fighting style with the twin knives that had arrived in the Order of Mata Nui's supply delivery.

Things were going better than expected. On ji had been a quick learner, even without power over light or a jet pack.

Tanma looked at On ji who was panting from the amount of training she had done since the day started. They had been training since the beginning of the day and it was now noon. "Perhaps we should take a break." He suggested.

On ji seemed quite happy about this suggestion. She went over to the box she had brought and pulled out two sandwiches. She gave one to Tanma and took the other one for herself. She had another one in the box for Mazeka but he wasn't there. I hope you like it." She said with a smile "I made them myself."

Tanma smiled back at her and took a bite. It was good. "This is great. Thank you." He said.

On ji smiled and looked away, although Tanma could have sworn her cheeks turned red.

Tanma was about to say something about this when Mazeka charged into the camp, and went straight for his weapons and armor. "Tanma, grab your gear and come on. I finally have information on Vultraz. On ji, do you know anything about a house in the forest near here?"

"Yeah but it's been empty for years." On ji replied.

"Well now it has an occupant and I think it's Vultraz. Do you know the way there?" Mazeka asked. On ji nodded. "Good. Then we leave as soon as we have all our things."

oxoxoxo

The two matoran and the fire bender looked at the house. It looked like it had seen better days. The garden had overgrown and vines now covered a good half of the house. The door was shut and looked like it hadn't been opened in years.

"This place looks deserted." Tanma said, confused. He looked at On ji. "You sure this is the right place?"

"Yeah, I've lived in this town all my life and this is the only house in the woods near here." She replied.

Mazeka looked ahead. On one hand this could be a waste of time. Those two men back in the town could have been either wrong or lying about these murders. On the other hand, if they were right then even if this _wasn't _Vultraz then it was still a murderer that should be brought to justice. "This is still our best lead." He said to the others "I say we go. You can follow if you want." He said walking towards the door.

"Blunt as a hammer isn't he…" muttered On ji.

The three of them walked towards the door as the sun was setting behind them, bathing the house in reddish light.

oxoxoxo

Author's note: Things are about to get a bit bloody for the next little bit.

This is a warning to all who don't like that kind of thing, the summary – without the messed up bits – will be at the beginning of the next chapter.

When you see the bold author's note, that is where the bloody bits stop.

oxoxoxo

The door creaked as it opened and Mazeka Tanma and On ji stepped into the foyer. A grizzly sight met their eyes. The place was in shambles. Tiles were pulled up from the floor, a vase was smashed to pieces in the corner and there was blood on the wall next to the door to the next room.

Tanma and Mazeka walked towards the door to the next room. On ji summoned up all her courage and followed. She would look at this later as a bad idea.

The next room was even worse. On the far right wall, thre was a message on the wall in blood. This message was right above the body of the guard who the blood had been taken from.

At this sight Mazeka looked disgusted; Tanma cringed and On ji had to resist the urge to scream.

Tanma grabbed her and turned her towards him. "You don't have to continue with us if you don't want to. Mazeka and I can handle this."

On ji looked up, determination in her brown eyes. She looked into his bright green eyes. "I'll be fine." She confirmed. Tanma nodded.

"If you too are quite finished?" Mazeka interjected. "Tanma look at the writing. It's our world's language."

Tanma looked at the writing. "You're right." He said.

On ji looked confused. "What does it say?"

Mazeka looked just as confused. "It says 'I want it back.' What could that mean?"

The three of them decided to keep searching the house for more clues. At this point Mazeka knew that even if it _wasn't_ Vultraz that was lurking here, then it had to be something from his world that could possibly lead him to Vultraz. The next room looked a lot like the first, messy and looking like it had been ransacked. It had the same message on the wall however. 'I want it back.'

"What could this guy want so badly?" Tanma muttered.

"I'm not sure, but I intend to find out." Mazeka replied.

"Maybe he has it and it drove him mad somehow. There are certain spirit world forces that can do that to people." On ji interjected.

Mazeka thought about this. It seemed unlikely to him that it was something from the spirit world. _'Because even if it was, how would it know the language of our world?'_ he thought.

He was so caught up in these thoughts he didn't even notice the door in front of him until he walked into it. The door was much larger than the rest of the doors he had seen recently. The sign on the door read **Hall**.

Mazeka looked at Tanma and On ji. They nodded and drew their weapons, Tanma drawing his katana and On ji readied her firebending and moved for one of her daggers. Mazeka himself drew one of his mini skyblasters and kept a hand on the sword at his belt. They had searched almost the whole ground floor so if there was anything here on this floor it would be in here.

He opened the door. The hall was by far the largest room in this house so far. It had a two story ceiling and balconies on top that led to the second floor. However, like all the rooms in the house that must have once been beautiful, it was in the same state as every other room so far: looking as if it had been ransacked.

Though it was not any of this that shocked the three of them. No, it was the man in the centre of the hall. He was hunched over facing away from them, with his brown hair sticking up in many different directions. When he turned to face them they noticed that he had bags under his eyes and stubble that looked like he hadn't shaved in days. He may have looked tired, but his eyes were wild as if he had just been given a great shock. "Ah more visitors." He said, his voice calm, yet with a slight undertone of madness. "Have you brought it to me yet? I hope you have. It would be a shame if I had to do to you what I did to the others."

"Well that depends," Said Mazeka, not lowering his skyblaster, "What exactly is 'it'?"

The man looked at the ceiling as if trying to remember something for a moment, and then replied "I'll tell you. You see my brother and I went on, well let's call it an adventure of sorts. We went down into this cave and at the very bottom we found this big door. My brother and I managed to open it together. We thought we might find treasure inside that would make us a lot less poor."

"Did you find anything?" asked Tanma, his hand still on his blade.

"Did we find anything? Ah yes we did." The man answered. "When we managed to open that door, we found this idol, it was quite creepy and it even looked a little evil, but it was still treasure." He looked down at the floor. "When I got back to the surface I realized the Idol had been whispering to me, telling me things about myself that I could just make out. However, when I got to the surface and stayed at an inn, the boy running it bought the idol off of me."

On ji was a little confused. "Wait, you started talking about you and your brother, but now just you. Why is that?"

"My brother?" the man muttered. "Oh right him! Well you see the Idol said that he was going to betray me, so I closed him in where I found it." The man dismissed with a wave of his hand, ignoring the shock on On ji's face, the anger on Tanma's and the disgust on Mazeka's. "When I got back here I realized I needed that Idol back and that the boy at the inn must have stolen it from me. So whenever people came here to give my deliveries or tell me that I had 'broken the law' I would tell them to give it to me. They didn't listen and I was forced to get rid of them."

"You killed them because they didn't have your stupid statue?" Tanma demanded, resisting the urge to throw a blast of light at this guy or cut him to pieces.

"NOT A STATUE! IT'S AN IDOL! It wants to be worshiped. It wants me back. HE STOLE IT FROM ME!" the man ranted. "How dare you insult it!"

With that the man drew a pair of shortswords from inside his boots and charged. Before Mazeka could even get a shot off, he was forced to dodge and draw his sword to defend himself.

He didn't need to though, because the man simply knocked him out of the way and swung both swords at Tanma. Tanma was ably to block all his crazy and clumsy strikes but was unable to go o the offensive himself due to the man's sheer ferocity.

On ji and Mazeka couldn't risk firing a light shot or fireball at the man for fear of hitting Tanma by accident. Mazeka attempted a strike from behind with his sword, but the man was able to block him.

Mazeka, however was expecting this as it gave Tanma an opening to escape his strikes. Tanma jumped back and hit the man with a blast of light that shot him to the other side of the room.

Mazeka looked to On ji and Tanma. "I'll go first in case he is still alive; you too stay close and be ready to back me up."

Tanma and On ji nodded and followed Mazeka. Once they saw the man they saw he was in bad shape. The light blast had left a bad burn on his chest where it had hit and it looked like he might have broken a couple of ribs when he hit the wall.

But he was still alive. "You don't have it do you?" He said so softly it might have been a whisper.

Mazeka was about to reply when the wall of the building was broken in right next to him and his companions, knocking them over.

They got up in time to see a sight that would both surprise and horrify them. Walking through what was once the wall was two rahkshi. One was blue – it had blown down the wall – and the other was black.

The black rahkshi picked up the man, and before he could even scream, the creature ran him through on its staff and literally drained the life out of him.

Mazekadrew his skyblaster and fired at the rahkshi. The blue one was hit in the head, killing the kraata inside. The black one however managed to throw the man's corpse in the way and block the shot.

The rahkshi then did something that neither Tanma nor Mazeka was expecting. It retreated. It went back through the hole in the wall created by its brother, changed into flight mode and flew off.

Tanma jumped to his feet and was about to go after it when Mazeka stopped him. "Let me go after it, it will kill more people if we don't stop it."

Mazeka looked at him sternly. Have you ever seen a rahkshi retreat?" he asked.

Tanma realized what he was saying. "No not unless it was under orders."

"Exactly. And from what you told me about the war, the only Makuta in this world was killed. So that means someone has gained control of the rahkshi, or at least some of them and is getting them to do his dirty work." Mazeka said pensively. "And I'll bet my widgets that 'somebody is Vultraz. I also think he might have had this man killed because he either has the Idol and it has driven him just as crazy as this guy, or he wants it."

"So why didn't you let Tanma follow the rahkshi?" asked On ji.

"Two reasons. One: I've seen flying rahkshi before, and since Tanma doesn't have his jet pack he'll never catch it. And two: I'll bet if we search this place we'll find the name of the island where he found the Idol. And since he said he sold it to a person on the same island, we can find that person. That way if Vultraz has it then we find him, and if someone else has it then we can catch him when he goes after the owner or track his rahkshi back to him."

Mazeka looked around the rest of the room and at the entrances to the upper level in it. "Search the rest of the house and see if you can find anything."

Tanma and On ji nodded and went their separate ways.

oxoxoxo

Tanma

I was searching for anything I could find on an idol of any kind, but in all the rooms I had checked so far all I had found was more writing on the walls and it all said 'I want it back.'

My thoughts drifted back to training with On ji earlier. It had been a lot more enjoyable than training with the other matoran in Karda Nui or Spherus Magna. I couldn't place why though. She wasn't a better fighter, maybe a quick learner but she still had a ways to go before she was any sort of expert.

I was broken out of my thoughts about On ji however, when I heard her scream.

Any thoughts of the Idol were immediately forgotten as I drew my blade and ran in the direction I had heard the screaming from. I dashed back into the hall and towards the other side where she had gone to search. I burst into where I heard the screaming from.

When I got there I saw On ji huddled in the corner of the room her head in her knees. I walked over to her, crouched down, and asked her "What's the matter?"

She didn't say anything. She didn't even lift her head. She simply pointed at the other side of the room.

I looked in the direction she had pointed in and saw what had scared her so much. In the corner of the room there was a body. When he saw the face he knew exactly why she was so scared.

The body in the corner of the room, in full city guard armor with his own sword through his chest, was Hahn. The man her parents had sold her to.

I heard a soft noise from the other side of the room. On ji had started to cry. In all the time I had known her I had never even seen her sad, let alone crying.

**Author's note: Blood is over**

I did the first thing that came to my mind. I scooped her up in my arms and took her outside. It would be better if she didn't see this anymore.

When we were outside of the house she softly said "Please put me down." I obeyed her and set her down gently. She got back up and looked at me in the eye. "I know I told you that I was only with him because his family paid for it but he was still a good friend even if not someone I loved." She sobbed a bit more. "How am I going to tell my family? How am I going to tell his? They'll be heartbroken."

This was bad. She was completely changed from how I knew her. This was not the On ji I knew. She was supposed to be happy, smart, and confident. This was not her.

I did the only thing I could think to do. I wrapped my arms around her and allowed her to cry on my shoulder. She returned the embrace and continued to cry. I would let her stay there for as long as it took for her to be okay.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

I saw Tanma and On ji leave and followed them outside. It seemed like On ji was having a problem so I was going to let them have their time to themselves before I told them the information I had found about where This man – apparently named Lee – had found the Idol. I had found it in his journal that he found it on an island less than a Day's journey from the nearest port.

Once Tanma was done comforting On ji, I would tell them what I had found and we would pack up camp and leave. The hunt had officially begun.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I had been looking at swords for a while now and just couldn't find one that I really liked.

(Author's note: I had a real sword nerd moment while writing this part. There will be a lot of different types of swords mentioned. Bear in mind this is just what I believe Vultraz would think and this is not my personal oppinion)

The jian was too thin, the gladius was too short, the katana was too much style, the rapier was… just no, and the hook swords were just weird.

Then I saw it. It was big, it was fierce looking, and it looked like it could break a man in half with one swing. I read the label below it. It was called a zweihander.

I took it and gave it a test swing. It was a bit heavy but it was still able to be swung relatively fast because of my condensed muscles.

Then I had a thought. I turned to my new servant. "Is there a forge in this house?" I asked.

He pointed at the door in the back of the room.

I fastened the zweihander sheath to my back and placed the sword in it. "Tell me then, are you skilled at making swords? and if so what is the strongest metal you have here?"

He looked at me and said in a blank voice "I am skilled at making swords and the strongest material we have here is from a meteorite."

I grinned. "Then I have a job for you."

oxoxoxo

**Please review and tell me your thoughts on the first real action in the story.**

**And don't worry there will be more action to come.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 6**

**For those of you who didn't want to read the 'bloody' section, here is what happened: Lee (the explorer from chapter 4) was driven mad by the Mask of Shadows which he refers to as the Idol. Mazeka, Tanma and On ji were able to defeat him but before they could get any information about the idol from him, Lee is killed by a rahkshi which then retreats leading Mazeka to think it was acting under Vultraz's orders.**

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

We needed a way off this island.

Now that we had the location of the Idol (an inn on a nearby island) we needed to get to it either before Vultraz did or if it turned out Vultraz already had it, then we needed to stop him.

The only problem was that any boats nearby didn't allow weapons onboard so we had no way of keeping our armaments. The great beings had said that our powers would be fully realized here, but since I don't know how yet I'm going to stick with my skyblasters and sword.

That, was what made things difficult.

Tanma had sent a messenger hawk to Solek to see if he could find us a way to the other island and was now waiting for a response. He had sent the message last night and it was now late afternoon.

On ji, on the other hand looked like she was still broken up over what she had seen in the mansion. Normally she and Tanma would be training together but now she was just sitting at the edge of camp completely silent. I couldn't blame her. I knew what it was like to lose a good friend.

oxoxoxo

On ji

My family was sad about Hahn's death but they were nothing compared to his family. I'm pretty sure that if Tanma wasn't there when I told his father (who was nobility) that he was dead he would have ordered his guards to arrest me.

Either way, I needed to get away from this place for a while so I decided I was going to go with Tanma and Mazeka.

When I told my family this, they didn't believe a word of it until Tanma showed them his control over light, and explained that he would keep me safe no matter what. I felt my face burn a bit at this.

I looked over to the matoran of light in question and saw him opening the parcel on a messenger hawk. He must have finally gotten a response from his friend.

oxoxoxo

Tanma

It had been about half a day since I sent my message to Solek asking him if he could help us get ourselves, our weapons, and our _ussal crab_ on a boat off of the island.

I was beginning to think this might just be wishful thinking. Getting weapons, people who have no records in this world and an otherworldly creature onto a legal boat? That might be a bit difficult since I have known Solek for centuries and he has never been one to break the law.

Today, it seemed however, was going to be my lucky day, because a messenger hawk had just arrived at our camp. "Mazeka, On ji! I got a response!"

As they came closer I opened and read the letter.

_Tanma_

_I got your last letter and originally it seemed like it would be a bit of a problem._

_But then I realized one thing: I'm currently staying in the palace of my good friend, Fire Lord Zuko. _

_He says that he can get you there but he also has a request for you while you're there that he'll tell you when you get here._

_Which brings me to the here part. Meet me at the town hall with your entire company tonight._

_See you then_

_Solek_

I looked at On ji. "Ever met the Fire Lord?" I asked. She shook her head. "Well you will tonight. He's going to be giving us a way off this island and to the one we're going to."

Mazeka grinned at me. "Good job." He said. "On ji, how far from here is town hall?"

On ji thought for a moment. "It's about an hour's walk from here."

"Alright then," said Mazeka. "We'll leave in two hours and then we should get there just it time."

oxoxoxo

Zaktan

I had just gotten back from seeing a play about the end of the war two years ago and learned some interesting things.

One: the proud powerful citizens of the mighty Fire Nation could not act to save their lives. That and from what I had seen of these people they couldn't write either. Their next show was about this unlikable girl who falls in love with a boy who is supposed to be a blood sucking demon but looks like a fairy of some kind who ends up stalking her but she still loves him.

**(Author's note: I couldn't resist)**

Personally, I would rather listen to the Shadowed One sing.

The second thing I learned was that the Shadowed One was dead, and so was a makuta who apparently had tried to take over this world with his rahkshi army. The same rahkshi army that was now arriving at Hama's inn which had turned into our base of operations.

Third was that it turns out my old friend Matoro was also living in this world. I would have to pay him a visit when I was done with this place. Maybe we could even resume our argument about who was more deserving of the Mask of Life, the heroes or the conquerors.

Ah well. That was a concern for another time. Now it was time to head home for the night.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka, Tanma and On ji had ridden the ussal cart up to the Town hall in the middle of the city. The place looked like a miniature version of the royal palace in the Fire Nation Capitol.

Five soldiers had taken the cart, ussal and all, to a storage space behind the building while the two matoran and the fire bender entered the hall.

Inside, they saw four people. Two were Solek and his Toph and the other two were a man in flowing red robes with a burn scar on his face and a topknot in his hair and a man in a wheelchair.

Solek stepped forward and bumped fists with Tanma. "Good to see you again Tanma." He said. He then looked at Tanma's companions "You never did introduce me to your companions though."

"Oh right. Solek this is Mazeka and On ji." Tanma explained.

"Nice to meet you both." Solek replied. "Now allow me to introduce to you Fire Lord Zuko and Lord Umbra." Solek said gesturing to the scarred man and the man in the wheelchair respectively.

Handshakes and bows were given to Solek and Zuko respectively. Zuko then stepped forward. "I'm glad you could come, because the island you say your target is on is the same one as numerous disappearances have taken place on. I would like you to investigate these disappearances while you are there. I will be giving you and all your equipment transport plus a few small gifts from the Fire Lord." He said. "I can also point you toward a good place to stay while you are there." Zuko pulled a map out of his robes and handed it to Mazeka. He then pointed out one of the towns. "Go to the town of Shu Jing and seek out Master Piandao. Tell him the Fire Lord sent you, and if he needs proof then give him this note with my seal." The young Fire Lord handed Mazeka a note.

Mazeka stepped forward and shook the Fire Lord's hand. "Thank you very much milord. Now, when does the boat leave?"

Solek and Zuko grinned. "Who said anything about a boat?" said Zuko.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I was about a day's journey from Hama's inn when I called for my guards to set up my camp for the night.

**(Author's note: Vultraz's guard is as follows: Gold – weather control, Silver – chain lightning, Black – hunger (the same one that killed Lee), Blue – disintegration (again, same one from chapter 5), Yellow – heat vision, and Red – fear.)**

I had left the swordmaster's servant with orders to act normal until I gave him personal orders otherwise. I had also taken that zweihander that I had enjoyed using and a little something extra.

I (well my rahkshi) had just finished setting up my tent when I saw a black rahkshi enter the camp. I knew this had been one of the members of my guard that I had sent to kill the man who sold me the mask of shadows. "You completed the task?" I asked. It nodded. "I am going to guess your companion didn't survive and that is why he is not here." Another nod. "Might I ask what happened?"

The rahkshi hissed at me. Ever since a few days ago, after keeping the mask of shadows on me at all times, I had begun to understand my rahkshi. He said "Master, my brother was killed by a strange young man with a light blaster. I would have slain him but you ordered us to kill the man who dared to touch the mask and him only."

"That I did." I muttered. "In that case you get to keep your life."

"Thank you my master." The rahkshi hissed.

I went to my tent and looked around at the only things that were present. I had a bedroll, my zweihander and the long crate I had taken from the swordmaster's house. In it was a little surprise for this world.

oxoxoxo

Tanma

I walked back into the airship that Zuko had given us as transport. While I was enjoying it (I had spent most of my life in the air) it seemed Mazeka was getting a bit queasy. This was confirmed when he ran past me out the door to the outer deck and vomited off the side of the ship.

On ji on the other hand seemed to be enjoying herself. While she had been an upper class citizen of the Fire Nation, she had never been in an airship before, or even seen one for that matter. She was in awe of both the ship itself and the view off the side.

I walked over to her. "Are you okay On ji?" I asked carefully.

She gave me a sad smile. "It still hurts, but I'll be okay."

I was glad to hear this. "I'm glad you decided to come with us. I mean an entire quest with just Mazeka? That would be pretty boring." I said.

"I heard that!" I heard Mazeka yell from the outer deck, before resuming airsickness.

"Calm down I was just joking." I called back before turning back to On ji. "It will still be quite a while before we get there. Why don't we have a look at some of the 'gifts' that Zuko left for us?" I called to the outer deck. "Mazeka, do you want to come with us?"

"I might be a while up here. You two go without me." He called back.

On ji and I descended into the hold, where we saw our ussal and cart with our supplies in it, and the gifts that Zuko had given us. Off to the other side.

The first thing I noticed was a suit of lightweight Fire Nation leather armor. I gave this to On ji since she, unlike me and Mazeka, had no armor. I also found a supply of money that would last us a month if we needed, and two zamor sphere launchers with a supply of spheres. And in behind everything, there were two large objects covered in cloth.

I pulled the cloth off of the first object to find it was a speeder bike. The same kind that had been used in Karda Nui for extended transport.

Before I could even voice my confusion about this, On ji had pulled the second cloth off of the other object to reveal that it was an Exo Toa suit.

On the suit however, there was a note.

_These were found in what remained of Makuta Mutran's lab underneath the fire nation palace._

_I hope they are able to help you on your quest._

_Fire Lord Zuko._

I grinned. Vultraz didn't know it yet but things were about to get a lot more difficult for him.

oxoxoxo

Once the ship had landed in Shu Jing, Tanma, Mazeka and On ji set out for Piandao's house. Once they found it, the Mazeka knocked on the door and were answered shortly after by a butler. Mazeka stepped forward and asked if the master was home.

"I am sorry children but even though the master has returned from the earth kingdom recently, we have been robbed and no one is allowed in unless they have an appointment." The butler replied.

Mazeka pulled out the note from Zuko. "The Fire Lord sent us."

The butler sighed and gestured for them to follow him. When they got to the room of weapons they saw a middle aged man with a dark swordsman's robe on, and a topknot in his graying hair. "And who are these three Fat?" asked the man.

"They were sent here by Fire Lord Zuko master Piandao." The butler replied.

Mazeka explained everything that had happened in the past two weeks, from Vultaz's escape up until this point.

"I see." Said the old swordsman. "And what is it you think I can offer you? From what you've told me you're pretty good in combat."

Mazeka nodded. "This is true, but we need somewhere to stay and a place to store our supplies and… vehicles. And since I'm guessing not that many people come around here, this is a good place to stash them."

Piandao raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that? We were recently robbed after all."

"What was taken?"

"Strangely enough the thief only took one sword and enough ore to make another. Why they didn't take more is anyone's guess. What concerns me though, is not the stolen items but how they did it. No windows were broken, the door was locked, and Fat was here."

"Wait, what sword did they take? And can you give me a description?" Mazeka asked.

"I'm not sure how it will help you but I'll tell you. The sword was called a zweihander. It is a very large and powerful sword, about two meters long."

"Let me guess, it is used mainly to overpower rather than for style?"

"That's what most people use it for."

"That sounds a lot like how Vultraz fights. He's always trying to overpower his opponent." Mazeka explained. "Except he's actually good at it." He muttered.

"Then it seems we have a common goal in finding this person." Piandao gestured to the room around him. "Until he is found, my house can be our base of operations."

"Good. I suppose we should get settled in then. Tanma, On ji let's get our personal belongings from the ussal cart."

Tanma jumped at the sound of his name. "Huh?" he noticed Mazeka glaring at him. "Oh sorry I just saw something and I guess I got distracted."

"Well what is it?" Mazeka demanded. "We are finally getting somewhere in our mission so I can't have you getting distracted so easily."

"It's just…" Tanma turned to Piandao. "Back in our world I used dual katana. And now that I'm here I find it's a little less effective, well at least for me, fighting with just one. And so I was wondering if I could use one of yours if that's alright with you."

Piandao looked the boy over. His question seemed honest enough. And he did have swords to spare considering he made quite a few. "I'll give you one of my katana on one condition: Bring me back my zweihander in good condition. I may not use it very often but it is expensive."

Tanma nodded. Piandao smiled. "Good, now I think I have the perfect katana for you." The old swordmaster walked over to the wall; pulled off a katana; and gave it to Tanma. "Go ahead and unsheathe it."

Tanma did so, but he was astonished at the appearance of the blade. "It's black. All the swords I've seen in my time here are silver. What is this one made of?"

"That sword was forged of a meteorite. I have made swords with no equal out of the ore found within it and that is one of those swords."

"Thank you. I won't let you down." Tanma turned to face Mazeka and On ji… or rather just On ji as Mazeka was conspicuous in his absence. "Where did Mazeka go?"

On ji giggled "He left while you were talking about your swords."

Tanma rolled his eyes. "I should have guessed."

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

I stood on top of Piandao's mansion, lost in thought. This was a big island. How was I going to find Vultraz? Even if I did, what would I do after I beat him? And I was going to beat him.

I slid off the roof and onto the ground. I was about to head inside when I noticed something. A footprint. It was faint, but there was no mistaking the shape of it. It was from a rahkshi.

The prints led into a nearby forest. I headed back in to inform my company and host. What I would do after this quest was irrelevant right now. What mattered was that I now had a path that would either lead me right to Vultraz, or to a bunch of rahkshi. Considering that the footprints led right to the forest from the mansion, with no destruction in their path, they must have been under orders, and with no one else around to give those orders, it must have been Vultraz.

After I had brought Tanma and On ji out to view the prints, Tanma asked me what my plan of action was.

"I was thinking I would take the speeder bike and go on ahead. The two of you will follow with the ussal cart and we will meet up in the next town." I answered.

"You seem to have forgotten something Mazeka." Said Piandao, who had come out of his house in time to hear this statement. "You said you wanted to hunt down this enemy of yours, but you may want to remain hidden. He may not know yet that you are following him, but to see someone armored is following you is a little unsettling. I'll give you some clothing to go over your armor, and your friends already have clothing if I'm not mistaken."

Mazeka cursed under his breath. He was still used to how things worked in his world, where he could easily just put on a different mask and be unrecognizable. Here he would have to employ different tactics.

It was about a half hour before Mazeka had his disguise on and had all his supplies in his pack. His outfit consisted of a black and red robe over his chainmail and a hood over his face. His sword was at his belt, and his twin mini skyblasters were concealed under his robe. He was currently going over the final preparations with Tanma and On ji.

"You two both know the plan." He said. "I'll go ahead on the speeder bike and see if I can find out where the rahkshi prints lead. You two will follow on the Ussal cart."

Tanma and On ji nodded. "Try to stay alive until we get there." Said Tanma. "I'd hate to have to do the whole mission on my own."

"Hey! What am I? Smoldering Embers?" said On ji, mock hurt in her voice.

Mazeka cracked a smile. "I'll try, but you two try and hurry up so you don't miss all the rahkshi." With that he climbed onto the bike, pulled on his hood, and started off for the next town.

Tanma and On ji packed what they would need. They took their weapons and armor, as well as clothing similar to Mazeka's. Although they both already had clothing, Piandao had given them the robes as extras. They had also taken their money and enough food to last them a few days.

As they were about to leave, Piandao approached them. "I know the power of the people of your world from when I knew Matoro. But still, be careful. I do want my sword back I mean."

Tanma smiled at the master's attempt at a joke. "I will. And I'll also bring you back your sword." He cracked the reins, and the ussal started off towards the next town.

oxoxoxo

**Please review.**

**The action will start up again in the next chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 7**

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

Night had nearly fallen since I left Shu Jing, and I had made it to the next village. Apparently, this was the place where the disappearances had taken place, and since I promised Zuko I would, I asked around to see if anyone knew what had happened.

My investigating led me to a man that people called 'Old Man Ding.' I decided to track him down.

Later that evening, I found him trying to board up one of his windows, but not having much success. I sighed, removed my hood and approached him saying "Here, let me help you."

He grumbled about it, but gave me the board and let me do the hammering. "Thanks kid." He said. "But I'd best be getting inside, there's a full moon tonight."

"I know." I said. "That's actually why I need to talk to you. I heard you escaped whatever has been kidnapping people under the full moon. I'm investigating these disappearances for the Fire Lord."

"So Zuko finally decided to do something about that huh?" Ding said skeptically. "Let me tell you, yeah I escaped, but I never saw anything trying to take me. One moment I was in the woods at night, the next I was walking into the forest's heart. I was almost at that mountain," He pointed to a mountain in the distance that could be seen from the village. "When the sun came up and I regained control of my body and was able to run for my life."

I thanked Ding and then made my way back to my speeder bike. Whatever was taking people sounded like it used mind domination to do it. It was in that case a good thing I had left Tanma and On Ji behind; since I was the only one immune to that kind of attack.

Once I had gotten to my bike, I decided to send my companions a message via messenger hawk about the full moon tonight and the danger they might be in. I then pulled up my hood, and made sure all my weapons were in place before getting on and leaving for the mountain.

oxoxoxo

Tanma

"'Take the ussal cart' he said." I muttered. "Yeah great idea, we only get there about a day after you."

On Ji giggled from her seat next to me. I cracked a smile. We had left earlier today and stopped at sundown to set up camp in the forest. The Ussal had been fed, and we had set up our tents.

We had also decided to put on the hooded robes that Piandao had given us. I had put mine on to find that it was the same design as Mazeka's, but were black and grey instead of black and red.

Once finished, I went to check on On Ji to see how she was doing. She was hiding it well, but I could tell she was still sad about Hahn dying. After seeing so many of my own friends either turn to the darkness or die in battle, I knew she needed someone right now.

"On Ji?" I called out.

"Over here." She replied from behind some trees. I walked over and was about to push the trees aside to talk to her when she said "Wait, I'm still changing."

I had seen enough of this world to know that you don't enter a room while somebody's changing. I had never understood it when I was in my world where everyone just wore masks and that's it. But I had seen somebody walk into the women's changing room at the school in the Fire Nation. He had walked in after talking to a few friends of his, and what I heard after that was screams, the sound of something hitting something else and I saw him fly out the door with a red, hand shaped mark on the side of his face.

I don't know about him, but I'd prefer not to do that.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice On Ji come out until I heard her yelp in surprise and trip over a root and begin to fall. Being right next to her, and a nice person I tried to catch her.

That didn't go quite as well as I thought it would. The combination of being unprepared to catch her, combined with another root behind me plus the momentum she had pushed us both over and she landed bodily on top of me. I had no idea what to do. I couldn't move (And not because of her weight, I could have lifted her). My face was burning.

When she got up a bit and saw just what she had landed on her reaction was quite similar, as she just stayed there and her face turned red.

After I cleared my throat, we both got up and turned away from each other. I scratched the back of my head. The only thing I could think about were those brown eyes…

What just happened? Why am I thinking like this?

oxoxoxo

On Ji

That was… awkward…

I was just on the ground on top of Tanma. I couldn't get my face to stop burning.

I turned around to try to say something to him and maybe diffuse some of the awkwardness, when he said "Shh, did you hear that?"

I wasn't sure what he meant. Then I heard it and saw what made the noise. A messenger hawk fluttered down onto Tanma's shoulder.

Tanma sighed with relief before opening the message.

_Tanma and On Ji_

_I hope you get this because you may be in danger._

_All of the disappearances have taken place under the full moon and in the forest. Since tonight is a full moon and you two will likely be camping in the forest, keep one of you up to keep watch._

_Also, since the kidnappings seem to have something to do with controlling the mind or body, if either of you feel like you can't control yourself, try to yell. That may alert the other to your distress._

_Good Luck_

_Mazeka_

Tanma folded up then message. "I'll take first watch." He said. "You get some sleep."

I thanked him then returned to my tent, changed from my black and white robes into sleepwear, and thought to myself _'nothing like a dire warning to diffuse an awkward situation.'_ Even so, I still couldn't stop thinking about it.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

As I approached the mountain, I could only hope that Tanma and On Ji had received my message. After stashing my speeder bike in some bushes, I made my way to the base of the mountain. I got there and found a small doorway at the base of the mountain.

I took the two skyblasters out from my robe and kicked open the door. Inside I found a staircase that led down below the ground. There was only one path and it was lit by torches.

I sighed. I did promise Zuko that I would investigate. I started down the staircase. At the bottom of the stairs there was another door. It was made of wood and looked fairly weak. I had an idea of how to get through the door, but first I checked my skyblasters to make sure each one had a full charge. Once I knew they did, I made my move.

My boot met the door and my boot won, the door swinging open to reveal… nothing? This room was completely empty. No people, no animals, just nothing. I moved around the room and tried to find another door, or a map or something that would lead me to whoever disappeared. The room was completely stripped.

I was about to go back up the stairs and leave when I heard something that made my blood run cold. Footsteps were coming down the stairs toward me. I didn't know what else to do. I hid behind one of the pillars. It wasn't much, but it was all I could find, and I could see the door for when these people left.

When I saw what came through the door I was confused. A man in a green coat was leading three rahkshi into the chamber. He looked around the room and sad "I think that was all of them. Search the rest of the room and bring back any that you find. You," he said pointing at one of them, "Guard the door until these two are finished. I'm going back to the inn."

He then did something I didn't think possible: He turned into a cloud of… insects? I'm not sure, but the rahkshi were advancing into the room and I needed a way to beat them without being killed. I drew my skyblasters and hoped they wouldn't see me when they came by. I would kill the first one from my hiding place, then the other two once the first one was dead.

The first rahkshi was almost here. I could see its purple face looking around the room for anything. I was about to shoot it when it looked right at me. I thought it would attack but it just walked away.

This confused me to no end. I looked down at myself to find that I couldn't even see myself anymore. Wait, the Great Beings said Vultraz's powers were fully realized in this world, mine must be as well. And since I wore the mask of stealth in my world, I now had that power. It was no control over ice, but I could do that later.

Right now I had to escape these rahkshi.

I put away one of my skyblasters and drew my sword. It would make less noise when the rahkshi died. I walked behind the purple rahkshi and pulled back it's faceplate to reveal the kraata. Before the rahkshi could make a sound, I plunged my blade into the kraata, killing it instantly.

I then moved on to the brown rahkshi also searching the room. I was just out of sight of the purple one, and so it had not seen what I did. I crept up behind it and grabbed at its face. I missed however and got its chest. When it felt the touch of another being it screeched and smacked at me. I managed to dodge, spin around and shoot it with my skyblaster. The shot impacted its leg and forced the creature to one knee. I corrected my mistake and shot the creature in the face.

The third rahkshi was going to be more difficult. It had heard its companion's shout and my shots, and was now running for the exit. It would fly off and inform that man that I had been there and he might tell Vultraz. It already had a head start, but I was no slouch.

I chased the grey rahkshi all the way back to the surface before it switched to flight mode and flew off. I raced to where I hid my speeder bike and flew after it.

The rahkshi was flying fast, but this speeder bike was just as fast. And I wasn't playing tag. I drew one of my skyblaters and started firing. The rahkshi managed to dodge most of the shots, but one hit it in the back. I was expecting it to fall out of the sky, dead, but then I remembered something about this type of rahkshi: they had limited invulnerability. I was going to need to keep hitting it in that spot.

It was then that I remembered something else I had received from the Order of Mata-Nui. I caught up to the Rahkshi and took something off the side of my speeder bike.

The rahkshi turned to see me right at his side. It was about to try and run me through on its staff when I took the double barreled midak scattergun and blasted it. The two shots tore through the rahkshi's armor and into the kraata. The rahkshi fell.

I circled back and headed for the other edge of town. I needed a rest, and to place some distance between me and that mountain. I set up camp on the other side of town and got to sleep.

oxoxoxo

On Ji

Tanma and I had arrived at the outskirts of the village where the rahkshi tracks had led. Our greeting was the sound of a skyblaster firing.

It was slow and controlled firing, so that was a good sign, and following it led us to Mazeka shooting targets. "Ah good," he said "You're here." Mazeka explained to us about the cavern under the mountain, and the man with the rahkshi, and the discovery of his new power.

I stopped him there. "Wait, what's a 'mask power?'"

"In our world," Tanma replied "Matoran and Toa wear Kanohi masks of power. However, only a Toa can use the power in the mask, and since Mazeka and I have had a power upgrade in this world we can use those powers once we figure out how to do so."

"So his power is stealth. What's yours?"

Tanma looked at the ground. "I'm not sure yet. My mask was a different design from many others, so I still have to figure that out."

"Whatever happens with our mask powers doesn't matter right now." Mazeka said "The map I picked up from Lee's house says where he sold the Idol is just on the other side of town."

Tanma and I nodded. Whatever would happen with this Vultraz guy, it would happen now.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I trained out behind the inn with my zweihander. The rahkshi sparring with me was fast, but due to my condensed muscles so was I. I slashed and it blocked with its staff. It stabbed at me and I dodged before spinning around and slashing again. This time I connected and its head rolled away.

I was about to go back inside and call Hama out to clean up what was left of the rahkshi, but before I could I heard slow, almost mocking clapping coming from the doorway. Zaktan stood there a smirk on his face. "Great show there." He said sarcastically. "It almost looked like the rahkshi _wasn't_ holding back."

"What do you want?" I growled.

"Just came to tell you some good and bad news." He replied. "Which would you like to hear first?"

"Good news." I decided.

"Good news is that all of Hama's captives have been taken care of. I made sure of it last night."

"And the bad news?"

"It seems that whoever killed your assassin that you sent after that boy is here. The rahkshi I sent to do a final search of the cave are all dead, with some of them having marks of skybaster shots on them."

I said nothing, simply going back into the house and into my private chamber. I opened the crate from the swordmaster's house. With this, whoever killed my soldiers was unimportant. With it, my conquest was made that much easier. And with it I had enough power to simply end whoever was doing this.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a knock at the door. "Just a second." I called. I closed the long crate and hid it beneath a cloth covering. I opened the door to see Zaktan standing there. "What do you want _now_?"

"Simple," he replied. "I was going to tell you before but I am taking a vacation. An old friend of mine is in this world and I would like to see him again."

"That's lovely." I droned. "Now why don't you tell me what you're really doing."

"I just did. An old colleague from my time on Voya Nui has taken up residence in this world after becoming somewhat famous here."

"So where will you be going?" I asked.

Zaktan's eyes glowed and he gave me an evil grin. "I hear the South Pole is lovely this time of year."

oxoxoxo

**Hama's prisoners are gone, Vultraz has an evil scheme, Tanma and On Ji seem to be getting closer, and Zaktan is going to pay a visit to an old friend.**

**Events in this story are starting to come to a close, likely only a few more chapters until then end.**

**Until then, please rate and review.**

**Seriously, all of three people have reviewed, and no one reviewed the last chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 8**

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I stood at the counter of Hama's inn while she was upstairs cleaning. Zaktan had left thismorning for the south pole to find his 'friend,' he still wouldn't tell me who it was, but knowing Zaktan, it was somebody he either wanted money from, or wanted to kill (this was Zaktan after all). He hadn't left however, without completing the last stage of our plan involving Hama's prisoners. They would all do their part when I needed them.

Anyway, it was early afternoon, and I was waiting at the front desk with a few people milling about in the lobby. My zweihander was under the desk just in case I needed it (I had heard about an attack by bandits on a nearby store, so I wanted to be careful), I probably wouldn't, but hey why not?

I was just leaning back in the chair, when I heard the door open, and three people walked in.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

We had taken both the ussal cart and the speeder bike around the town to where the inn that had bought the idol was. Tanma On Ji and I were all wearing the robes from Piandao, and had our weapons somewhere on us.

The story we would tell is that we were a group of mercenaries, and that we were looking for a place to stay. If we saw the Idol, we would act terrified and say that we saw it in a book of legends and that it would drive its owner mad. If that didn't work, then I would steal it since I have my Order of Mata Nui mental training that would protect me from its madness.

We parked the speeder bike and ussal cart outside the inn, and walked in the door. Tanma and On Ji went to sit on some of the chairs around the lobby, while I went to talk to the person at the desk. He was somewhat strange looking with long black hair and piercing red eyes. He was also dressed in fancy fire nation robes. I kept my hood up and walked over to him. "Excuse me," I said, and he looked up at me. "My companions and I are looking for lodging for the night. Do you have room for three?"

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I looked this guy over as well as those he came in with. He was wearing black and red robes with a hood over his face so I couldn't see who he was. He also had a curved sword at his belt. His companions were similarly dressed, the first one had black and grey robes and two katana on his back and the other one had black and gold robes with no visible weapons on her. Both however had their hoods up so I couldn't see their faces.

I turned back to the first guy. "I do have room, yeah, but I'm a little hesitant to let two, possibly three, armed strangers into my inn. Take that hood off and we'll talk."

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

"I would rather not." I replied. "I'm on a mission from the fire lord and I'd rather not risk my target seeing me coming."

"And the black hooded robe isn't suspicious at all?" he asked sarcastically.

I muttered a curse under my breath. "Fine, the hood goes." I said before removing the hood.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

Once he removed his hood, I got my first look at his face. He had silvery hair and cold blue eyes. "You're not from around here are you?" I asked. "No people here have hair in that color."

"No, I'm from out of town." He replied.

"Where exactly?" I asked

"You wouldn't know of it." He replied with a dismissive wave.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

I thought my reply would be enough, but apparently it wasn't.

The boy at the counter cocked his head. "Try me." He stated firmly.

I had a feeling he wouldn't take no for an answer, so I tried to remember everything On Ji taught me about the people of this world. "I'm from the Northern Water Tribe." I responded.

oxoxoxo

Vultraz

I didn't quite buy that story. There was something about this guy that just rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn't quite place it though. "So why have you come to our humble Fire Nation Town with your companions." I asked.

"We are a part of a mercenary company, and we've been hired by the Fire Lord to investigate disappearances in this town." He replied.

Ah so he was the do-gooder type here to investigate Hama's kidnappings. No wonder I didn't like him. Wait a minute, why would the fire lord send water tribe mercenaries instead of Fire Nation ones, or guards or even soldiers? Then something else hit me.

I knew that voice.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka

Tanma pulled me back by the hood, just as the boy at the counter swung a shadow coated fist where my head was a second ago.

"I should have known you'd follow me Mazeka, but unfortunately for you, I've been planning for just such an emergency." The boy, who had just revealed himself to be Vultraz, gloated. "Minions, attack!" He yelled as he grabbed a sword from beneath his desk and charged off toward the door.

I made to follow him when the people milling about in the lobby grabbed me and my companions and held us back. "Get back here and face me, coward!" I taunted.

Vultraz simply smirked at me and ran up the stairs.

I grabbed the heads of the two people holding me and smashed their heads together. They were out cold, but still alive. Tanma had activated his jetpack, launching himself into the air and out of his captor's grasp. On Ji made herself limp and her captor, not expecting this, lost his grip.

They didn't stay out of trouble for long, as the people got up and went after them again. I instantly recognized this from the reports of what happened on Voya Nui. These people were enslaved by Zamor spheres.

"Just go after him!" I heard Tanma yell. I turned to see him and On Ji holding their own against the slaves in the lobby. Each one had a few people unconscious at their feet. "We can handle them, just go take down Vultraz!"

I nodded. "Thank you. I won't forget this." I said drawing my sword and one of my skyblasters.

"See to it that you don't." Tanma said with a grin. "You still owe me one for just a minute ago."

I rolled my eyes. "I remember." I said before charging up the stairs after my archenemy.

oxoxoxo

I found Vultraz at the top of the stairs in what appeared to be his room. When I entered he threw his large two handed sword at me, just barely missing. I know that he had the enhanced muscle necessary to make that throw, but why he did it, I didn't get.

He smirked at me again, before grabbing a long box from beneath a cloth and jumping out the window onto a nearby tree. I fired at him a few times before recharging the skyblaster and jumping out after him. I considered taking the speeder bike, but then realized that it was useless in the dense forest.

I followed the footprints deep into the forest before coming face to face with my archenemy. He smirked at me again. I was really getting sick of that smirk.

oxoxoxo

Tanma

All the guests at the inn lay around us, unconscious. After Mazeka left, I had told On Ji to cover her eyes and then unleashed a massive burst of light that had temporarily blinded the attackers.

Blinded by the attack, it was easy to knock the rest of them out. On Ji and I had then searched the rest of the inn for Mazeka and Vultraz. Finding a room with an open window and a sword in the wall, we could assume that this plus the fact that the inn was now quiet meant that Mazeka and Vultraz had left the building.

We decided to take the front door instead of the window and follow the tracks to find Mazeka. What we didn't expect however, was the horde of rahkshi waiting just outside. A force of a dozen strong, each a different color meaning a different power.

"This might be a little difficult." I muttered.

On Ji Drew her daggers, "A dozen of them against the two of us? Maybe."

I took out both my Katana and charged, On JI right behind me. I swung my first katana at a rahkshi and removed its arm, my second strike taking its head off.

On Ji dodged a shattering blast from a brown rahkshi before retaliating with a stream of fire. The rahkshi roared in pain and tried another attack. The blast impacted the ground in front of On Ji and she flew backwards, landing on her backside. In desperation she threw a dagger at the rahkshi, and it embedded itself in the creature's eye. Seeing her foe incapacitated, she jumped, and shoved her other dagger into its other eye.

As the rahkshi fell I said "Very impressive, now please help me out." Three dead rahkshi were on the ground at my feet. One had been killed by my swords, and the other two by my power of light. There were still seven more rahkshi, and they were all attacking me. There were so many blasts of power and staff heads coming at me that I couldn't strike back, all I could do was dodge and sometimes block.

On Ji shot a blast of fire into the group of rahkshi, dispersing them and giving me time to fire a blast of light from my swords into one of their eyes. The rahkshi screeched before falling over. I didn't have time to celebrate my victory before a black rahkshi tried to run me through. I parried its strike and moved away before it could drain my energy. I made another strike at its head only for it to be blocked by the creature's staff. I couldn't make another strike at it before a green rahkshi trust its staff at me.

I dodged the staff and just as it started to glow green, I grabbed it and aimed it at its brother that I had just been fighting. The green rahkshi fired a stream of acid from its staff and melted the black rahkshi. As a thank you, I stabbed it through the middle and fired a light blast into the wound.

As the rahkshi fell over dead, I took to the air and began raining light blasts down on the other rahkshi. Three more of the creatures fell to my light and another was stabbed by On Ji before it could do anything to shoot me down.

I landed just in time to see the last rahkshi, crimson in color, fire its staff at On Ji. It hit, and I saw her eyes go wide with fear, and she fell. The rahkshi moved in to finish her off, but I jumped in it's way. "Don't touch her!" I cried out.

The rahkshi seemed surprised to see that I was standing in its way. That surprise lasted about two seconds before it tried to bat me out of the way with its staff. I dodged and returned with a slash from my left katana and a stab from my right. It blocked the slash and dodged the stab, before hitting me out of the way. I landed a few feet away, and the creature looked at me and then back to On Ji as if debating who to kill first.

In the end, it chose her, and moved in. I dashed toward them, the rahkshi was within striking distance now, and was about to run her through. Using my jetpack for extra speed, I charged at the rahkshi.

Time seemed to slow, as three things happened at once. The rahkshi thrust its staff at On Ji, the light returned to On Ji's eyes as the staff's effect wore off, and I got right between the rahkshi and her.

In the end, the rahkshi's staff was batted aside and I managed to run it through on both my swords.

As it fell I wasted no time in helping On Ji to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"I am now. What happened?" she asked, scared and confused.

"That rahkshi had power over fear, and was able to make you feel fear of everything you did."

She looked down. "I know what I saw was horrible…"

I would have asked, but the way she looked, I was only going to make it worse. "You should stay here and rest. I'll find Mazeka and finish this."

"No way." She said, surprising me. "I've been with you this whole time, and I'm not going to leave you now, just because I took one hit."

"Fine. Come on, we have to find Mazeka."

oxoxoxo

Mazeka stood at the entrance to the clearing, mini skyblaster in one hand and sword in the other. He was glaring at Vultraz and Vultraz was still smirking at him.

Finally, Vultraz spoke. "You know Mazeka, you still owe me your life for not killing you at the De matoran village. Is this how you repay me for my generosity?"

"The past is the past." Mazeka retorted. "You tried to kill me numerous times, killed hundreds in your lust for power, and just recently enslaved half a village. This ends now."

"I was hoping you would say that." With that sentence Vultraz picked up the crate he was carrying. "A little while ago, a man came to the inn from a cave elsewhere on the island. He had with him a very strange package. I have no idea where he got it, but he did and I managed to buy it from him."

"I don't see where this is going." Mazeka growled. "Are we going to fight, or are you just going to blather on about what's happened to you in this world."

"Patience, old friend," Vultraz said mockingly. "Isn't that what you Ko matoran are all about? Anyway, it turns out that this guy had bought a mask of great power. How it got here from our world I have on idea, but I had it now, and I needed to make some use out of it since we can't put on masks in this world. Eventually, I found out what to do with it, and that's how I got this." With that statement, Vultraz opened the crate and pulled out its contents. What it was made Mazeka's blood run cold.

Vultraz pulled a sword out of the box it was just as large as the last one, but there was a difference. This one was made out of the meteor metal that Tanmas new katana was made of. This sword however was different for one reason though. Right next to the hilt of the blade, forged into the sword was the Mask of Shadows. Vultraz had found a way to weaponize the Kanohi Kraahkkan.

oxoxoxo

"SOKKA NO!"

**BOOM!**

Matoro and Sokka's workshop exploded after Sokka tried to fire a broken Midak skyblaster. Now he and Matoro were lying on the ground, Sokka covered in soot. "Oops…" said Sokka.

Matoro sighed. He would now have to rebuild both the workshop _and_ the equipment inside from scratch.

"Well, it looks like you two have had fun."

Matoro looked around for the source of the voice to find Katara standing not ten feet away with her hand on her hip. "I thought you were home taking care of Nuju." Matoro said, standing up and brushing himself off.

"Suki came over for a visit, so I asked her to watch Nuju while I went to find you." Katara replied. "And I have some good news. Soon you'll be a father of two."

Matoro blinked twice. "Wait, so you and I… When we… You're…?" he stuttered.

"Yes, I'm pregnant."

Matoro's jaw hit the floor. "This is too good. Something isn't going to go right. Days that start off like this, with watching Sokka make a fool of himself, and finding out you're going to have another child. Then _something _goes wrong."

Katara held back laughter as her husband jokingly ranted. "Yeah, next thing you know, something's going to go horribly wrong and we're _all _going to die." She said. Not able to hold back anymore.

Matoro stayed serious looking for a moment before bursting out laughing himself. "Yeah, now Zaktan's going to show up and cut me to ribbons."

"Aww, you missed me. Well if you really want to, then I guess I can oblige."

Matoro turned to see who had spoken. A man with black hair, and red eyes stood before him. He wore a green trenchcoat and had both hands in the coat's pockets.

"Who are you?" Matoro asked.

The man responded by taking his right hand out of his pocket and holding it open. What he did next revealed his identity without a shadow of a doubt. Small insects flew off his body and condensed in his right hand to form a gold three bladed scissor.

"Zaktan? What are you doing here?"

"Well I heard there were good fish to be gotten around here, the sights are beautiful and there is a Toa of ice here that needs to die."

Katara walked over to her husband. "Who is this guy?"

Matoro moved Katara behind him and made to draw his dual kodachi. He then remembered that he had left them at home. "No time to explain here. Sokka, take Katara home and bring me my swords."

"I'll help you-" Sokka began.

"No, Just make sure my family is safe. GO!"

Sokka nodded before taking Katara by the arm and practically dragging her home.

"Are you quite finished with the family garbage?" Zaktan asked, bored. "If so then can we get back to killing you?" With that, Zaktan charged.

oxoxoxo

**Next chapter will have the final battles.**

**Zaktan and Matoro will have their duel. Mazeka and Vultraz will battle it out. And what will happen to Tanma and On Ji?**

**Rate and Review please.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 9**

oxoxoxo

Mazeka dodged Vultraz's swing with the Kraahkan sword. Even though he wasn't hit with it, the swing through the air next to him was enough to make him feel the cold of the darkness that surrounded the blade. Tanma and On Ji had also joined the fight, but they weren't able to do any more damage than he was. What was worse was that the sword seemed to give Vultraz new powers that made him even tougher to fight, including chain lightning, illusion, improved shadow powers, and by the fact that the sky had gone from bright and sunny, to windy and rainy, weather control.

A small part of Mazeka's brain was telling him that this made no sense, because the mask shouldn't have given him any of these powers. The rest of his brain was helping him to not get zapped, blasted or stabbed by his longtime archenemy.

Dodging another sword strike, Mazeka fired a few shots from his mini skiblaster, all of which were deflected with blinding speed by Vultraz's blade. It seemed the blade also gave him enhanced strength in order to move his sword that fast.

Tanma and On Ji tried a flanking maneuver in which On Ji blasted Vultraz with flames and Tanma with light from the air. Vultraz was able to dodge the fire, but was hit by one of Tanma's light blasts. "You two are becoming an annoyance." He growled. "Can't you just let me kill Mazeka in peace!" he roared before screeching at the sky. A lot more screeches answered him. "There, the two of you can play with my servants, while I kill him."

As soon as Vultraz finished talking, rahkshi began to pour into the clearing. Tanma and On Ji were forced out of the fight with Vultraz. "Now let's just make sure it's you and me only." With those words Vultraz raised the sword and plunged it into the ground. A large field of shadows expanded from where he plunged the sword. The field encompassed the two combatants and left Tanma and On Ji outside with the rahkshi.

oxoxoxo

Tanma blocked a strike from a rahkshi staff before turning around and decapitating another. At his back, On Ji was currently burning a rahkshi in a stream of flames.

They had been fighting like this, back to back ever since the field had come up about a minute ago. Attempts to enter the field were met with failure and attempts to break it open were simply absorbed by the field. All Tanma and On Ji could do was to hold out against the rahkshi and try to stay alive.

oxoxoxo

Matoro ducked under Zaktan's slash at his head, and rolled away from him. He retaliated with an ice blast laced with lightning. Zaktan managed to dodge this by opening a hole in his body and allowing the attack to harmlessly pass through him.

"I did so miss this type of battle Matoro." Zaktan taunted. "I found combat as a sea serpent was just not the same. Now that I have a proper body, I have my weapons back and can use them along with my powers, like this!" Zaktan said, firing his laser vision at the Champion of Ice.

Matoro just managed to raise an ice shield to block the blast, and even then he was thrown back by the impact. The Toa jumped back to his feet as Zaktan walked toward him.

"Matoro!" a shout rang out from nearby. Matoro and Zaktan turned to see Katara was the source of the noise. She was running at them carrying Matoro's swords. Once she was close enough, she threw them at her husband who caught both sheathed blades. Matoro drew both swords and assumed his fighting stance.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka dodged another strike from Vultraz's sword and tried a few of his own. Ever since they had entered Vultraz's field of shadow, the only advantages Mazeka could get were that his sword was lighter and faster, and he could use his mask power. He would make quick strikes and then use his mask power to disappear and try another attack.

This attack had worked for the first little while of their fight, but now Vultraz was starting to wise up to his tactics and was attacking with newfound fury that Mazeka had never seen before.

Vultraz had also noticed this just now. Part of his mind that was not consumed by this towering, all encompassing rage was telling him that he had never been this angry before, even when facing down Mazeka.

_Shut up and fight you fool._

Vultraz wasn't sure where that came from but he wasn't going to question it and jumped right back into the fight.

Mazeka on the other hand was starting to run out of ideas. His first mini skyblaster had run out of energy, and this had put him back on the defensive against Vultraz. _'What am I going to do, what am I going to do?' _he thought. He thought back to every time he had ever done battle with Vultraz before.

Then realized that wouldn't help because here not only was he more vulnerable due to lack of natural armor but also his adversary had vastly enhanced powers and all he had was two mini skyblasters, one of which was drained and would need to be recharged, a saber, powers of stealth, and…_'Wait! That 's it!' _He thought.

Mazeka managed to put some distance between him and Vultraz and discreetly reached into his robe.

This didn't escape Vultraz's notice, and with a speed not reachable by any normal human or Matoran, dashed at Mazeka…

Just as the Order of Mata-Nui agent raised the double barreled skyblaster.

Vultraz's blade bit deep into the gun just as Mazeka pulled the trigger. Mazeka, knowing what was about to happen, let go of the gun and tried to escape.

Not quickly enough as the gun exploded in a blinding flash of light that threw both combatants back as they fought for consciousness.

Not having the benefit of a sword that gave him extra power, Mazeka collapsed.

Vultraz got up and looked at his opponent. The ko-matoran was down but not dead. Yet. And he could easily fix that.

_Just kill him and get it over with. We have a world to conquer._

"I know. I know. It's just, I've wanted to do this for millennia, and now I finally have the – wait, who said that?"

_Look in your right hand._

"You're in the sword? Who are you?"

_Do you remember what you made this blade out of? Incase you forgot in your bloodlust, you made this sword out of my mask._

"You're-"

_Yes I am. When I began life in my lair under Mata-Nui, I sealed a small fragment of my spirit inside the Mask of Shadows. It was just a small piece, but it was there. When Icarax was killed by his own teleportation, it transported the mask, and me, here. Now hurry up and kill him so I can take over this world._

"What do you mean _you_ can?"

_I am taking over as soon as you kill him. I'm only letting you do this because I feel generous. Now hurry up and get it over with._

"Not a chance…" muttered Vultraz, as he walked towards Mazeka's unconscious form.

oxoxoxo

Tanma blocked a strike from a rahkshi before cutting its head off. "You know what; I _really_ hate these things right now."

On Ji incinerated the kraata of a rahkshi that roared at her. "I know what you mean, but it's either fight them or die."

"I know and- look out!" said Tanma firing a bolt of light over her head at a rahkshi that had snuck up on her. The rahkshi fell with a hole in its head.

The two barely had time to celebrate this victory before a dozen more rahkshi emerged from the forest. "How many of them are in this forest?" On Ji said in fear.

Tanma was about to apologize for ever mixing her up in this, when a stream of flames incinerated all of the rahkshi in front of them. "What the Karzahni?" he said.

On Ji looked at where the flames came from to see a young boy on a hover board descending towards them. "Who are you?" she asked in awe. Clearly this had to be a prodigy firebender.

Tanma spoke up before the boy could speak. "Wait, I recognize you from what Solek told me. You are the Warrior of Fire, Toa Lhikan."

"Another matoran? Here? What are you doing here?" the small Toa asked.

"Wait a minute." On Ji said. "This is one of the greatest heroes of your world? I never thought he'd be so…"

Lhikan frowned. His face may have looked calm but his thoughts were less than ideal for the girl in front of him. _'Go on, say 'little.' I dare you…'_

Before any of them could say anything, another troop of rahkshi, at least twenty in number, emerged from the trees. Their leader, a golden rahkshi, stepped forward and shocked all of them with what it did next. "So you're the Toa we've heard so much about, Toa Lhikan." It said in a hissing voice. It then pointed to Tanma. "So it's not you?"

"Um no I'm an av matoran." He said.

"But he's so small, a runt." The rahkshi responded.

Lhikan was mad. "Oh yeah, can a runt do this!?" he said before incinerating the leader where he stood.

The rest of the rahkshi didn't look happy about this and charged.

oxoxoxo

Matoro locked swords with the Piraka leader before freezing over his blade and jumping away. Zaktan responded by sending protodites from all over his body to chip away at the ice until it broke. "Matoro, as much as I am enjoying this, please, you can do better than this."

"Maybe I'm just going easy on you." Said Matoro, making another slash with both blades. Zaktan managed to block both strikes on his weapon. "It has to take some getting used to fighting properly when you've been an actual snake instead of a figurative one for so long." Matoro jumped away as the Piraka shoved him away and made a stab at him.

It was then that Zaktan noticed something that would give him an edge in this fight. He shifted into a cloud of protodites and took to the air.

Matoro, expecting an aerial attack, was surprised when the Piraka flew directly over him. He looked when Zaktan was headed and gasped in horror when he saw Katara had not gone home yet, and was right in Zaktan's path. The Champion of Ice charged, but not before Zaktan re-formed behind his wife, who tried to run but was caught before she could.

Matoro stopped in his tracks when Zaktan put his weapon to her throat. "Ah ah ah. We wouldn't want your lovely woman here to get a little scratched would we?" Zaktan suddenly realized something and his grin broadened. "Or better yet, how about this?" with that he produced another arm made out of protodites and reached into his coat. The object he pulled out made Matoro's blood run cold. It was a Zamor launcher, and it was loaded.

Matoro's face was emotionless. "Let her go." He said with in icy barely controlled rage. "Now."It was then that Matoro heard something else that would haunt him for life.

"Dad? Who's that man holding mom?"

oxoxoxo

Vultraz fought to move his legs toward Mazeka. He had one idea that would be perfect for how he liked to live. He reached into Mazeka's robe until he found what he was looking for. As he pulled it out however, a small crystal cube of dark purple substance fell out as well.

Mazeka awoke to see Vultraz checking the charge to one of his mini skyblasters. "One shot left huh," Said the shadow matoran. "Too bad, I was hoping for two. Don't question what I'm about to do. I would rather die as me, than live as a slave." With that, Vultraz put the skyblaster next to his head and put his finger on the trigger.

oxoxoxo

Tanma and On Ji looked at the field of shadow created by Vultraz. Both were still on guard for more rahkshi, but ever since Lhikan had arrived and helped them drive off the last few waves, no more had come. "Do you think there are more out there?" asked On Ji.

"I haven't had all that much experience with rahkshi," said Tanma "But there probably are so keep your eyes open and stay alert." Lhikan had left after the last few waves of creatures, saying he had to meet up with the Fire Lord.

Sudenly, the field of shadow began to open. On Ji and Tanma were fixed on it in a millisecond, weapons out and powers ready, when a voice came from the inside. "Is that any way to greet a friend?"

It was Mazeka, and behind him they saw a dead Vultraz with a hole in his head, and the Kraahkan sword still clutched in his right hand.

"You beat him?" On Ji asked. She had seen how much power Vultraz held and was surprised that Mazeka had beaten him so quickly. Then something else got her attention. "Hey, what's that?" she said pointing at something on the ground.

Tanma looked where she was pointing and saw a small crystalline protodermis cube with purple energy in it. He suddenly realized that his time here would soon be over.

Mazeka said it before he could open his mouth. "That cube, along with the others of its kind are our way home." He said "That is how Tanma and I will leave this world."

Tanma looked at On Ji. She looked disappointed and sad at first. But that look soon turned to confusion and shock at what she was seeing. Tanma and Mazeka looked in that direction in time to see dark green energy swirling around Vultraz's fallen form. Wherever the energy touched, skin turned to stone. Then the now petrified corpse got up and spoke.

"_I am assuming direct control of this form. I am Makuta, and this world is mine."_

Having said that, the mow stone body fired a shadow bolt at the ground around the feet of the only three who knew he was there. Tanma, On Ji and Mazeka were able to dodge, but while doing so, Mazeka dropped the dimensional cube which Makuta advanced on and picked up. _"I recognize the contents of this cube." _He said _"This has the energy of the Olmak in it. What could I do with this? Bring forth the Visorak? Maybe the vahki." _Suddenly, a look of shock came onto the face of the new Makuta. _"Ah yes, I know what I'll do." _With that statement, the reborn master of shadows opened the cube and let it fall from his hand. The cube burst apart and a large dimensional gate opened. _"All I have to do now is wait and- agh!"_

"_What the Karzahni? I thought you died with me?" _ said the Makuta in the voice of Mazeka's old rival. Somewhere in his mind, Vultraz was still alive.

The Makuta stumbled back and grabbed his head in his left hand; his right still clutched the sword. It was at that moment that Tanma had an idea. While Makuta was still distracted he charged, swords drawn.

The Makuta saw him just as he was coming out of his shock of Vultraz being alive, this being something he hadn't considered, and raised his sword to block the matoran's strike.

This however was just what the matoran of light wanted. At the last moment before he made contact with the Makuta, he activated his jet pack and took to the air, cutting at the master of shadows as he took off.

Makuta could only watch in shock as the hand containing the sword was severed from his body. As the hand and sword fell, his spirit was drawn back into the blade with nowhere else to go but back.

Mazeka watched on as Vultraz's body began to become what it was before: organic and motionless. "Impressive move Tanma." He said. "How did you know to target the hand?"

"I didn't." the matoran of light answered. "I saw that throughout the whole time, Vultraz never let go of the sword. I thought maybe if I remove the sword, I could remove the influence over him."

"Good thinking. But please don't do it again, I don't want to see you die." Said On Ji. "Now what do we do about the gateway?"

"I'm not sure." Said Mazeka. "If it's anything like the gateways mode by the actual Olmak, they won't close until something living passes through it." He paused for a moment. "We could go into the forest, find an animal and toss it in, see if that might work."

"We can't do that!" Said On Ji "These animals never did anything to deserve that!"

"Alright, alright, I was joking." Mazeka replied, his hands up in a surrendering fashion. "But until something passes through it, it will never close."

So busy were they in their conversation, that they didn't notice that the sword was gone.

"Maybe the divice will run out of power and it will close." Offered Tanma. It was at that moment that the decision was taken out of their hands as something began to come through the portal.

Two large insectoid claws were the first parts to emerge and widen the portal. It was all Mazeka needed to see to know what was about to emerge. And he knew what needed to be done.

"On Ji, I need you to run as fast as you can while we handle this."

On Ji looked shocked. "I can't just run away and leave you two here! What if something were to happen t-"

"On Ji go." The young firebender was surprised to hear these words come out of Tanma's mouth. "If I'm right about what's about to make an appearance, then everyone on this entire island is in grave danger. We need you to go to the town and get them to evacuate."

On Ji paused for a moment, looking at the claws trying to force the portal open. "Alright I'll go. But Tanma," she walked over to him and looked him in the eye. "Good luck." With those words, she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. "Come back alive." She said before running toward the town.

Tanma could have stood there all day trying to remember what his name was, but Mazeka hit him upside the head which brought him down to earth. "Focus." He hissed. Tanma nodded and drew both his swords. Mazeka drew his sword and one of his skyblasters, recharging it in the light.

Together the two heroes turned to face what emerged from the portal. As one, the looked into the eyes of one of the most terrifying creatures in their world.

The Zivon was here.

oxoxoxo

**Come on, you can't expect me to write a Bionicle story without including the very creature I named my account after.**

**The end of Matoro's battle with Zaktan and Mazeka and Tanma versus the Zivon will be included in the next chapter.**

**Until then, please rate and review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 10**

oxoxoxo

Matoro glared into the glowing red eyes of the inhuman monster known as Zaktan. The Piraka had seized his wife and was now holding the two fates of either death or enslavement to her head. "Let her go." He said coldly "Now."

Matoro's soul however, froze when he heard a new voice.

"Dad? Who's that holding mom?"

It was the single most important thing to Matoro as a family man. "Nuju RUN!" Matoro yelled at his son. "Get out of here!"

Zaktan turned to look at the toddler. "Hah! I though your wife was good, but this is even better! Catch!" he said, throwing Katara at her husband.

Matoro was stunned by this action and stumbled as he caught his wife. Setting her aside he turned to face his archenemy just as he pulled the trigger on his zamor launcher and sent a sphere of green at his son.

Matoro yelled and ran at his son, but he wasn't Jaller with his mask of feats. Just as he was getting close, the sphere impacted his son's chest and passed into him.

oxoxoxo

Mazeka looked upon his latest foe. As if the Makuta charged archenemy of his hadn't been enough, now there was the worst nightmare of any matoran anywhere. The Zivon stood over thirty feet tall with a carapace that looked tough enough to block a cordak shot. Luckily, he and Tanma had a chance at defeating this monstrosity by the way it looked. There were numerous cracks in the beast's shell that looked like they could be able to do some damage if they were able to hit them.

"Where did the battle damage come from?" Tanma asked. "Hasn't this thing been stuck in the Zone of Darkness for millennia?"

"It was trapped there with a rahi known as a Tahtorak, a massive dragon creature." Mazeka replied.

Tanma was about to ask further when the Zivon roared in rage and casually swung its claw at the two matoran in an attempt to crush them. Dodging the strike, Tanma took to the air and began peppering the beast with light bolts while Mazeka simply leapt back and activated his mask power, turning nearly invisible.

oxoxoxo

Even during the hundred years of war, a guard in the Fire Nation wouldn't get anywhere near as much excitement as a soldier on the front line. Crime was relatively low, and the army was large enough and strong enough that the various city guards were never needed for anything except to preserve order, well until the very end of the war two years ago.

It was for this exact reason that when Guardsman Ming saw a teenage girl running at him and his men, he expected something not too difficult to deal with. "What's the trouble?" He said evenly.

The girl took a few panting breaths before looking up to him and saying "Guardsman, we have to evacuate the town! We have to do it now!"

Ming looked down at the girl. Her brown hair was messy and her eyes were wild and excited. The run here could have been enough to cause this look in her, but some… substances could also have been involved to make her look and act this way. "Calm down miss," he replied "What seems to be the problem?"

On Ji was about to answer, when a loud roar came from the direction she had just come from. "That's why."

Ming nodded. He gestured to two of his eight men and ordered "You two, take this girl to the barracks and rally the rest of the guards to evacuate the civilians." The guards nodded and led On Ji off. "The rest of you, with me." He said to the rest of his men "We beat this thing we'll get the glory for it."

oxoxoxo

Mazeka dodged another swipe of the Zivon's massive claw before firing three shots from his skyblaster. While all hits to the head and neck they didn't seem to be having any effect other than further infuriating the already enraged creature.

Tanma barely flew out of the way of the creature's stinger. "You're the soldier here, how the heck do we beat this thing?" he yelled down.

"No idea." Mazeka replied "I was a spy for the Order of Mata Nui, not a soldier like Axonn."

"Who's Axonn?"

"I'll explain later, if we're still alive."

"Agreed." Tanma replied, flying down to the back of the Zivon. The beast immediately roared and began thrashing around trying to get him off, but the matoran of light simply refused to be dislodged. "Maybe this will shut you up." He said jamming one of his blades into the creature's spine.

The Zivon roared in fury and snapped its body like a whip, throwing Tanma in the air while Mazeka tried to avoid being flattened by its flailing claws or impaled on the whipping stinger.

Tanma landed hard on the ground. The Zivon noticed this and picked up the av matoran in one of its massive claws, bringing him closer to its face. The Zivon roared directly into his face while Tanma reached for his sword.

He would have used it, but a bolt of fire hit the Zivon in one of it's eyes, causing it to cry out in pain and fling him at the source of the flames: seven Fire Nation guards who continued to fire after dodging the thrown matoran.

"What does it take to kill this beast?" asked the head guard.

"More than what you're throwing at it now." Replied Mazeka, fading into view with the guards "This thing can kill an entire team of toa without breaking a sweat, so if you want to live I'll lead this battle."

"I don't think so boy." Said the leader of the guards. "I'm sergeant here."

Mazeka was about to say something else when the man was hit by a shot of webbing from the Zivon's legs. "Anyone else have any objections?" The soldiers shook their heads. "Good, now spread out and keep firing, give it a lot to worry about."

oxoxoxo

Zaktan waited.

Matoro waited.

Katara waited.

Most of all, Nuju waited to see what that strange ball would do.

Nothing happened. Confused, Zaktan fired another into the boy with the same result. "What's going on? You should be enslaved!"

Matoro let out a sigh of relief when he saw this. He remembered what happened on Voya Nui when Vezok's zamor sphere didn't effect him. "Oh that's what that does? Then I don't feel too bad about doing this." The Champion of Ice said, firing a blast of lightning laced ice at the former Piraka leader.

The blast knocked Zaktan over. When he hit the ground Katara turned the ice and snow he had fallen on into water and covered him in it. Matoro then casually walked up and froze it solid.

"Dad, what was that?" asked Nuju, cocking his head to one side in confusion.

Matoro smiled tiredly and used one of the most famous fatherly lines ever created. "I'll tell you when you're older son."

oxoxoxo

Even with the additional fighters, Mazeka knew this was a losing battle. One of the guards had been knocked aside by a stray claw, and was now on the sidelined crying out in pain. Another had been impaled on the beast's stinger and had died instantly. And still a third had disappeared into the creature's jaws.

_How are we supposed to beat this thing? _Tanma and the firebenders were keeping it busy with aerial light shots and fire bolts. This was keeping the creature on the defensive, but was really doing nothing else at all. His shots with the skyblaster were also helping in this, and the Zivon roared at the impact of every shot, but this was still not good enough.

Numbers dropping, combined with fatigue from fighting all day were starting to take their toll on him and he could see Tanma getting slower with his strikes.

When things seemed to be at their worst, a large boulder flew out of nowhere and hit the Zivon in its side knocking it over. Before the beast could recover, it was hit by a sonic blast, forcing it to cover its head.

Tanma looked over to where the attacks had come from to see people he really didn't expect. "You weren't going to have all the fun without me were you?" asked On Ji.

"Oh come on, I was going to say that!"

On Ji turned to Solek "I did first."

Solek was about to respond when Toph Spoke out. "Uh guys, I can still feel that thing's heart beat, it's still alive."

The Zivon stood back up. That last attack had hurt, but it was still going to crush these small beings.

More rocks, fire bolts, light blasts and skyblaster shots were fired at the beast.

Mazeka opted to switch to both his blasters at once, and was firing rapidly. He looked the creature in its hate filled eyes. "What does it take to kill you?"

That was when he got a plan. "Keep firing at it until I give the word!" he yelled. Without waiting for the fighters to acknowledge what he said, he called Tanma down to tell him his plan.

The Zivon was starting to get fed up with these beings. Fire, light, sound and earth were hitting its carapace and causing it pain. As its pain grew greater, its anger followed.

Mazeka watched as the Zivon lifted its large body as high as it could on its insectoid legs. It drew its stinger back, and when it did Mazeka knew what it was about to do. "SCATTER!" he called.

The fighters stopped firing and started to run. A second later the beast's stinger came down and impaled itself in the ground. Unfortunately for the creature, not only did it miss, but this was what Tanma and Mazeka were waiting for.

Tanma propelled himself along the ground with his jetpack until he was right under the beast, while Mazeka waited and kept its attention with one of his skyblasters, holstering the other and drawing his sword.

Tanma flew directly underneath the Zivon, and once he was inder it's large belly, he thrust his katana upward, hoping Mazeka was right in his plan.

Mazeka on the other hand charged as soon as he saw Tanma fly under the creature. When the Zivon saw the matoran charge, it swung a claw in an attempt to crush him.

Mazeka jumped out of the way and then climbed onto the claw, running up the creatur'e body.

Tanma's sword went right through the lightly armored underbelly of the Zivon. Roaring in tremendous pain, it was unable to stop Mazeka from reaching its head and driving the protosteel saber into its eye.

The Zivon roared again, and tried in vain to reach Mazeka. But as he saw Tanma fly out from underneath it, he twisted the blade and fired into the creature's other eye with his skyblaster.

With a final roar of fury and pain, the Zivon fell, never to rise again.

Tanma marched onto its back and pulled out his second sword, while Mazeka went to thank the firebenders for their help and free their leader.

Tanma then approached Solek, Toph and the young Fire Nation girl who had been on this quest with them almost since the start. "Where did you guys come from?" he asked, removing his hood.

Solek smirked "Our vacation in the Fire Nation took us to this town where we saw your friend here getting dragged through town by two fire nation guards. By the look of them, they didn't have anything good in mind for her. Toph trapped them in the ground and she told us that you needed help. So now we're here."

"I'm glad you guys came, we'd have been dead otherwise." Tanma replied.

On Ji walked up to him, pulled her hood back and smiled. "I'm glad you're okay." She said, embracing him.

Solek turned to Toph. "We should leave these two alone."

Toph smiled. "Don't do too much you two, there are people watching."

On Ji turned red, but Tanma only looked confused. "What did she mean 'too much?'"

"Don't worry about that." Said On Ji, letting him go. Her smile dropped after this though. "Is it true that you and Mazeka are leaving now?"

Tanma lifted On Ji's chin and looked her in the eye. "You know, even with the cube used to bring the Zivon here, we still have more than enough to get everyone here to our home." On Ji wasn't sure where he was going with this, but let him continue. "I'm pretty sure Mazeka only needs one to get home, and there are a lot of things around here that I like. My best friend lives here, I'm now acquainted with the Fire Lord, and there's this girl here… I'm not sure what it is, but I feel different around her." He said, scratching the back of his head.

On Ji's smile was back, this time with a hint of mischief. "Good different or bad?"

Tanma was still confused. "Good, but a good I know nothing about. I've never felt anything like this before."

"Ahem." The two looked to the sound of the voice and saw Mazeka standing there, hood off, and actually smiling. "You two seem to be enjoying yourselves."

"Holy Agni he's actually smiling!" On Ji exclaimed "That thing didn't kill us, but now the apocalypse will!"

Tanma looked from On Ji to Mazeka. "She's a quick learner."

Mazka rolled his eyes. "And to think I actually wanted to talk to you. I was just going to say it's probably best if I go soon. Helryx will want my report on events here." He looked Tanma in the eye. "Will you be joining me?"

Tanma gave a sad smile. "I think I'll stay here." He said putting a hand on the ko matoran's shoulder. "And you should too, at least for a little while. You must be tired after all that fighting. Relax a bit, Helryx can wait a while.

Mazeka's smile grew slightly as he noticed that his arms felt like lead. "I think you're right."

oxoxoxo

**The final battle is now over. The next chapter will tie things up for this story.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this tale of matoran and benders.**

**As always please review. Tell me whether this story has been good, bad, great, or terrible. Whatever you think, please tell me and I'll try and improve.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Crime of Shadows**

**Chapter 11**

oxoxoxo

The Ussal cart ride back to Piandao's house in Shu Jing had taken two days.

Once back at his estate, the zweihander had been returned and by the bargain that Tanma and Piandao had made, Tanma got to keep the second katana. Piandao had also said they could stay in the guest rooms of his home for the day.

Mazeka stepped outside with Tanma. "I must admit, although it will be nice to get back home, this place is really nice. Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Tanma smiled and shook his head. "There isn't much for me back home, and there's something about this place that just makes me want to stay."

"Something like a young firebender girl?"

"Shut up."

"I thought so. I'll give your regards to the Toa Nuva."

It was at this point that the two of them heard the distinctive cry of a Fire Nation messenger hawk. The red bird flew down from the sky and landed on Tanma's shoulder. "I wonder who sent us a message." He said, opening the letter.

_Mazeka and Tanma_

_You saved my people from not one but two deadly threats in the same day._

_I would like you to come down to the capitol city, I wish to honor you properly for this._

_I'll send an airship to pick you up._

_Fire Lord Zuko._

After reading the letter, Tanma looked up at Mazeka. "See, now you have another reason to stick around."

Mazeka returned his look. "Looks like I do, I'd hate to keep His Flamingness waiting or disappoint him."

oxoxoxo

Matoro and Katara had placed the frozen Zaktan underneath a glacier, that way he would be less likely to escape. Katara had been recovering from the psychological effect of both being held hostage by _another_ maniac out for Matoro's blood, and having her child almost be enslaved by said maniac. She still loved Matoro and wanted to be with him, but these things just sometimes hurt.

She walked into Matoro's room and roused him from his nap. He and Sokka were trying to rebuild their workshop, but he had been tired from his battle, and rebuilding the workshop, so it would be reequipped tomorrow.

"Matoro, I need to tell you something."

Matoro looked his wife in the eyes and embraced her. "I'm sorry you had to be dragged into that. It's all my fault, and I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad, I just wanted to say thank you for saving us again." Katara said, kissing him on the cheek. "I also wanted to talk about the new baby we're going to have soon."

Matoro smiled, and was surprised to hear "WHAT?" coming from the door to his room. Nuju stood there, an expression of wonder on his face. "I'm going to have a brother?"

Katara recovered first. "Maybe. You might have a sister."

Nuju's smile stayed on his face. His expression then turned to one of confusion. "Mommy, Dad, where do babies come from?"

oxoxoxo

The next morning, Mazeka was not surprised to see Tanma and On Ji come out of the same room. "Well, did you two enjoy yourselves?"

They jumped when they heard him. "We didn't do anything." Snapped Tanma.

"Yeah, we just-"

"I know I believe you." Said Mazeka, smiling "I don't think Tanma or I even know what that would be. Piandao just told me to ask that."

The three of them bid Piandao goodbye before gathering their things and leaving to catch the airship to the capitol.

Once again, Mazeka was not enjoying this ride. A member of the Order of Mata Nui, a warrior, a spy, and much more couldn't stand flying. "I don't see why I couldn't take the speeder bike." He grumbled.

"Are you kidding?" asked On Ji, handing him a bucket for later. "You can't fly on it and you don't know where to go."

Mazeka grumbled something about not missing these airships before resuming airsickness. "I think I'm going to go lie down. Wake me when we get there."

oxoxoxo

At the Royal Palace, Zuko spoke to Tanma and Mazeka, who knelt on the floor in front of him. A crowd of aristocrats and nobility had gathered to witness the Fire Lord's speech. "Mazeka, you led this mission to take down your nemesis, and this removed a great threat to my people. I understand you will be returning home, but as a token of my thanks I not only grant you all the gifts I gave you for your mission, but the honor of the Fire Lord himself. If you are ever able to return, you will always be a welcome guest within my borders."

Mazeka rose to look the Fire Lord in the eye and shook his hand. "Thank you, Fire Lord Zuko."

"Tanma," Zuko continued "You chose to come here with Mazeka and were involved in the saving of my nation on both occasions. Not only this, but Solek tells me that you were a key player in saving your people from the makuta in Karda Nui, is this correct?"

"Yes Fire Lord, I led my people against the invading makuta." Tanma replied.

"Then I would like to name you as one of my generals in the Fire Nation Royal Army." Zuko said "You will have station in this city, and will be supplied with a room in the palace until you are able to purchase your own property."

Tanma stood and looked at Zuko with something akin to awe. "I am honored by your offer, but are you sure? You barely know me."

Zuko nodded. "This is true, but Solek does and he says that you would deserve such a title for your actions not only here but in your world. Not only that, but I also raised Umbra to my court after only knowing him for a short time, and liking him for even less." From behind him, Umbra rolled his eyes. "So will you accept my offer?" He continued, offering a hand.

Tanma considered for only a second before accepting. "Yes, Fire Lord."

"Then from this day forth," Zuko decreed "You will be known as General Tanma of the Fire Nation Royal Army."

The crowd cheered, especially Solek, Toph, and a certain girl in the front row, who had seen both of these warriors through their quest.

oxoxoxo

Tanma looked at the banquet that Zuko had thrown for them. "Wow…" was all he could say.

Solek slapped him on the back. "This is nothing, you should have seen the one they threw after the war."

Tanma smiled. After years of thinking he's never see his best friend again, here he was. "You'll have to tell me about the war at some point." He said "If I'm going to stay here I might as well know my history, especially recent history."

"I'll tell you later, right now let's eat."

"Agreed." The two warriors made for the buffet table, Solek telling Tanma everything he thought he'd like. Once the two had their plates of food, Tanma's full and Solek's mountainous, they sat down to eat.

Their eating was interrupted by a pair of aristocrats who looked strangely familiar to Tanma. "Might we have a word, General?" said the man of the two.

"Of course…" Tanma replied warily, reaching for his drink. He didn't know who they were, but Solek had already warned him about nobles and aristocrats.

His wife was the next to speak. "We would like to ask you to marry our daughter."

The aforementioned drink was immediately spat out, and barely dodged by Solek. "I'm sorry, but I just met you." He said trying not to yell 'What in the name of Mata Nui?'

"And this is crazy…" Solek muttered.

"I'll consider it…" said Tanma "Now if you'll excuse me for a moment…" he said, getting up and wondering just how crazy these people were.

His walk led him to the balcony of the palace where he was soon joined by someone he actually wanted to see. "Hey On Ji." The girl looked exasperated when he looked at her. "What's up?" he asked.

She groaned. "My parents are here, and they're trying to find me a new betrothed." She said, annoyed "Apparently he's 'higher than our family and would make a great husband to me.'"

Tanma laughed at this. "That's funny, these two aristocrats came up to me and tried to get me to marry their daughter…" he said, realizing what had just come out of his mouth. He then realized why those two looked so familiar to him: they were On Ji's parents. "It seems they don't remember meeting me, or they might have recognized me and said you were their daughter."

On Ji turned to the matoran she had come to love, as he faced her as well. They got closer and closer until

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything," Said Mazeka. "But I think it's time I get going."

"So soon?" asked On Ji "Why?"

"The party is drawing to a close, and I'm tired of the nobility here already." He replied "I'll miss you both, and I must say it was a pleasure to travel with the two of you and I wish you both the best in life."

Tanma approached Mazeka and offered his fist. "The same to you, my friend." he said.

Mazeka bumped his fist. "If you want to visit or contact me, I left you the rest of the cubes." He said, holding up one of them. "Other than this one that I'm about to use there are four more. Keep them safe."

"Will do." Said Tanma.

On Ji walked up and hugged Mazeka. "It's been an honor to know you."

The three of them walked down to the first floor of the palace, before going to where Mazeka had parked the Ussal cart. To the surprise of both Tanma and On Ji he reached into the back and pulled out the speeder bike. "You're taking that with you?" asked Tanma.

"I think I am. I've grown rather attached to it since I got it." The ko matoran replied. He pulled the cube out of his robes and opened it. The energy contained in the cube sprung out and opened into a full gateway. "It's been a pleasure, both of you. But I guess this is goodbye."

Tanma smiled sadly at his soon to be former colleague. On Ji had a similar smile, but had tears in her eyes.

Mazeka returned the smile before getting on the speeder bike and entering the dimensional gateway.

The Gateway closed behind him, and Tanma and On Ji turned around to go back to the banquet.

oxoxoxo

**And so ends Crime of Shadows.**

**This has been a lot of fun to write, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it too.**

**Special thanks to ToaofIce for allowing me to use his universe and characters.**

**And to anyone else reading this, Crime of Shadows may be over, but this story has just begun. I'm planning a sequel that will follow Mazeka after he leaves the Fire Nation. Check on my profile to see its plans. Plans for this story will be posted soon.**


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